On May 22 1887 an American legend was born in a one room cabin on the banks of Oklahoma's North Canadian River. The scion of Native American royalty (his great grandfather was the Sac and Fox Tribe's War Chief - Black Hawk) the boy was named Wa-Tho-Huk translated ' bright Path' portending greatness. The Indian boy became Jim Thorpe the man-athlete who would capture the imagination of the entire country with his exploits on the gridiron and at the Olympic Games in Stockholm. Following his amateur career Thorpe played Major League baseball and then returned to football in 1915 as a member of the Canton Bulldogs one of the first professional teams. Three years later Thorpe helped George Halas and others to found the NFL.

The offered pair Wilson high top leather football cleats were recorded in the Helms records and displayed in Helms Hall as the last pair of football cleats ever worn by Jim Thorpe. Museum records state that these cleats were acquired in 1951 during filming of the biopic "Jim Thorpe All-American" for which Jim Thorpe served as a technical adviser. Thorpe most likely wore the cleats during the filming of game action scenes. Photos presented include a scene from the movie with actors (incl. Burt Lancaster) wearing similar cleats and a shot of Thorpe on set consulting with producers. The cleats were a gift to the museum from Thorpe's longtime friend Matt Galagher. Light to moderate wear is evident which is appropriate given the fact that Thorpe was 63 years-old at the time. After his passing in 1953 Thorpe was voted the greatest athlete of the first half of the 20th Century. By the time the century wound down to a close he was still among the immortal elite challenging for the full century's title.

Includes a Letter of Provenance from the Helms Athletic Foundation/LA84 Collection.