Two-time Olympic gold medalist and Pro Football Hall of Fame
member James Francis "Jim" Thorpe came into this world on
this day in history, May 28, 1888.

Born in a one-room cabin in the geographical area that is now
Oklahoma, Thorpe was raised by Hiram and Charlotte Vieux
Thorpe on the Sac and Fox reservation, according to the
Oklahoma Historical Society.

Thorpe was given the Native American name "Wa-tho-huck,"
meaning "Bright Path" in Sac and Fox language.

This name would quickly turn prophetic, as Thorpe would
establish himself as one of the athletic superstars of the
20th century.         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         

CAMILLE BOHANNON

PORTLAND, Ore. — The 142nd Wing of the Oregon Air National
Guard will conduct flyovers for Memorial Day, part of a time-
honored tradition to pay tribute to fallen military members.

The pilots are scheduled to fly over several cities across the
region as part of a roughly 45-minute flight over the state.

John Wayne (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979)

Born Marion Robert Morrison, Wayne’s family moved to
Glendale, California, when he was six years old. As a teen,
he rose at four in the morning to deliver newspapers, and
after school he played football and made deliveries for local
stores. When he graduated from high school, he hoped to
attend the U.S. Naval Academy. However, after the school
rejected him, he accepted a full scholarship to play football
at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

In the summer of 1926, Wayne’s football coach found him a
job as an assistant prop man on the set of a movie directed
by John Ford. Ford started to use Wayne as an extra, and he
eventually began to trust him with some larger roles. In 1930,
Ford recommended Wayne for Fox’s epic Western The Big
Trail. Wayne won the part, but the movie did poorly, and Fox
let his contract lapse.

John Wayne in a scene from his last movie, "The
Shootist," 1976.

George Herman Ruth (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948)

On this day at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, baseball
great Babe Ruth hit his 714th home run — a record for career
home runs that would stand for almost 40 years.

History.com noted "This was one of Ruth’s last games, and the
last home run of his career.”

"Ruth went four for four on the day, hitting three home runs and
driving in six runs."

Babe Ruth 714th Home Run Ball.

Babe Ruth of the Boston Braves hit this
baseball out of Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field
for his third home run of the day, and
the 714th and final round-tripper of his
major league career. The Pirates defeated
the Braves 11-7.