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DroDameron t1_j09axu5 wrote

Reply to comment by negativewishingwell in Jim Thorpe councilmember concerned over roommate zoning ordinance which would prevent people from living with unrelated roommates by saintofhate

JT stole their name from Jim Thorpe and stole his remains from his family by bribing his third wife. Fuck that town.

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gladysk t1_j09idwt wrote

I just placed a hold on David Maraniss’ book, Path Lit by Lightning: The Life of Jim Thorpe. Have you read it?

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DroDameron t1_j09jszi wrote

No but it sounds like a good one. He seemed like one helluva guy and love that he stood proud and represented us as an American despite America not really caring much for Native Americans.

Always inspiring to see people like that, like Black Americans in the Civil War and WW1.. instead of blaming their circumstances and using them as an excuse to do nothing, they rise above them and fight for the world they want to see.

And in spite of his actions, they took away his achievements because he made a $25 a week playing baseball.. took 100 years to give him his medals back. It was said many other people did it too, but they used fake names. Thorpe chose to not hide it and was punished.

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ItsjustJim621 t1_j0azy0i wrote

That whole town is built on a lie. The closest to that town he even got was Palmerton….if you’re going up that way from the Lehigh valley and you get to Palmerton, you just wanna turn the fuck around too…

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HogwartsKate t1_j0bsf93 wrote

History: the town was called Mauck Chunk, a native american name. JT ‘s 3rd wife shopped around the US for a town and if they changed its name in honour of JT she would give them his remains-ie burial plot for Thorpe. They agreed. Nothing was stolen. Nothing bribed. His wife was legit. married to him and wanted him honored forever. Mauck Chunk did not want Asa Packers Lehigh University built there bc of drunken college kids. So it thrives barely as s tourist attraction. With an added train ride. Its a nice scenic town with a long history from the Molly Maguires to Jim Thorpe.

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DroDameron t1_j0bu9zj wrote

Yeah I definitely don't fault the wife or the town, it was an unfortunate situation that he died broke. I just think when the family asked for the body back, they should have honored that request. My boss was telling me when he was there in the 90s, the grave was over grown and not well taken care of, but I can't speak for that nowadays.

Stolen probably the wrong word, like you said, legitimately acquired, just under crappy circumstances. The family definitely considers it stolen though.

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moravian t1_j0cef5j wrote

For clarification, it's not Mauck Chunk but Mauch Chunk.

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negativewishingwell t1_j09devm wrote

I’ve never been there I just know it’s a popular day trip for yuppies.

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DroDameron t1_j09dmue wrote

Something you, Jim Thorpe and I have in common 🤣

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