ro, natural man" (Flatter 1). Besides being voted the greatest athlete of all-time, Thorpe was a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. What set Thorpe's name in stone as a sport icon in many American's minds is his accomplishments at the 1912 summer Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden. Thorpe won the decathlon and the pentathlon.
             The American Heritage Dictionary defines 'athlete' as: "A person possessing the natural aptitudes for physical exercises and sports, as strength, agility, and endurance." The definition would certainly apply to Thorpe and Tootoo. Thorpe had a career that evolved over 20 years spanning from the early 1900s to the late 1920s, becoming an Olympic star by winning two gold medals in the 1912 summer games, playing and creating professional football in what is today's National Football League, (NFL), and playing professional baseball in the Major Leagues. In contrast to Thorpe's well established career, Tootoo has just begun his career. Tootoo was a rookie last season with the Nashville Predators; he has already accomplished his childhood goal of playing professional hockey in the NHL. Tootoo was also heralded as one of the best junior hockey players in Canada, even though he comes from a place with no organized hockey
             (Adelson 1). Tootoo has become a national icon, although he comes from a territory
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