Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team

Written by Steve Sheinkin

Narrated by Mark Bramhall

When superstar athlete Jim Thorpe and football legend Pop Warner met in 1904 at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania, they forged one of the winningest teams in American football history. Called "the team that invented football," they took on the best opponents of their day, defeating much more privileged schools such as Harvard and the Army in a series of breathtakingly close calls, genius plays, and bone-crushing hard work.

But this is not just an underdog story. It's an unflinching look at the persecution of Native Americans and its intersection with the beginning of one of the most beloved―and exploitative―pastimes in America, expertly told by nonfiction powerhouse Steve Sheinkin.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
• Release date: Jan 17, 2017
• ISBN: 9780553552805

Steve Sheinkin

Steve Sheinkin is the acclaimed author of fast-paced, cinematic nonfiction histories, including Fallout, Undefeated, Born to Fly, The Port Chicago 50, and Bomb. His accolades include a Newbery Honor, three Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards, a Sibert Medal and Honor, and three National Book Award finalist honors. He lives in Saratoga Springs, New York, with his wife and two children.

Reviews for Undefeated

[salsabrarian · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Narrated by Mark Bramhall. Before and after Jim Thorpe became an Olympic champion in track, he had a storied career in college football playing for the Carlisle Indian Industrial School under coach Pop Warner. Clearly the original “Beast Mode,” Thorpe played offense and defense in the same game, blowing through tackles, virtually untouchable by the defense. He was part of the innovations and changes in the sport that we have come to know today such as the passing game and drop kick. Without football, Thorpe was somewhat aimless. Academics did not interest him, he tried playing baseball, and did farm work. Controversy over being paid to play baseball while still active with college football ended up in his Olympic medals being revoked. Mark Bramhall reads this non-fiction narrative in a straightforward and engaging tone, with even pacing and deliberate speed.

[acargile-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A non-fiction selection, this novel is about how football evolved, focusing on the early years.

Have you ever heard of Pop Warner? Kids have played Pop Warner football for generations. He was the coach of the famous Carlisle Indian School football team. His most famous player was Jim Thorpe, considered by many to be the greatest athlete. The novel tells how football began. It was crazy violent, which meant that it wasn’t unusual for people to die on the field. They pushed and slugged their way downfield. There wasn’t a passing game; it didn’t exist as part of the game. When it was finally introduced to football, there was a 15-yard penalty if you didn’t catch the ball. Most rules that came about in football are because of Pop Warner who was brilliant at coming up with new plays so that other teams never knew what to expect. Often these daring moves made it into the football rules the next year--as plays that were against the rules.

The novel follows Pop and Jim as football develops. There were only a few college teams. Pop eventually became coach of Clemson but wanted to coach at the Indian school to have more freedom. Jim Thorpe was growing up while the Carlisle Indian school was becoming famous, allowing the reader to see their destined meeting. The Carlisle Indian school’s purpose was to make the Indian more “civilized.” They taught the students the “white” way so that they could be successful. They were required to cut their hair and dress “normally.” They were expected to always show respect and never act as people expected--savage. Therefore, on the football field, they could be treated with great disrespect, but they always were expected to show gentlemanly behavior and disprove the stereotype. When Jim arrives at Carlisle, Pop Warner has a great team that can defeat the big college teams.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and I’m indifferent to football. Jim Thorpe was such an amazing athlete that he could try something and be better than someone who trained in that sport, especially track events. I had always heard of Pop Warner football, but I had no idea who he was. It’s well worth your time to learn about the abuse Indians underwent at the government’s indifference yet see how amazing these Native Americans contributed to history. If you like football at all, this book is a MUST.

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jim Thorpe's life story is told. Intermingled in that is the story of the development of football, the forced "education" of Native American kids by sending them to boarding schools, and even a cameo of Eisenhower during his Army days. Thorpe's life was amazing, his athletic prowess and his struggles including being stripped of his Olympic medals. I learned a lot. Some of the descriptions of the football seasons dragged for me. This would be a tough one for younger readers.

[eduscapes · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

UNDEFEATED by Steve Sheinkin tells the story of Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian football team.

In 1907, a group of young men met at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. With hard work and the leadership of a skilled coach, these Native American athletes formed a football team that overcame prejudice to defeat Ivy League teams. Filled with primary source materials and source notes, readers will be amazed by the thought-provoking personal story along with the social issues associated with institutionalized racism.

Librarians will appreciate this well-researched work of nonfiction. Even reluctant readers will enjoy the football themed Table of Contents, the short, action-packed chapters and the conversational approach.

Published by Roaring Brook Press on January 17, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

[jape200 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Interesting and informative story telling of two football greats. It's an unapologetic in telling the historically glossy parts of U.S. history, such as the mistreatment of the Native American culture. In addition it looks at the history of current day American football.

Undefeated is suitable reading for individuals as well as classroom use

[ecataldi-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was amazing from start to finish. I admired author, Steve Sheinkin, for his wonderful book, "The Port Chicago 50", but "Undefeated" has turned me into an unabashed mega-fan. Sheinkin's writing style is amazing. I don't give a crap that his non-fiction is intended for young adults, they're easily accessible, filled with pictures, great writing, and eloquence, perfect for adults too. I learned SOO MUCH from this book. I had heard of Jim Thorpe and Pop Warner but I didn't really know diddly squat about them, let alone anything about the Carlisle Indian School Football Team. I'm not huge into sports, but that didn't matter, everything in this book was fascinating, from the beginnings of football, the ill treatment of Native Americas to the awful boarding schools forced on many of their children that wiped out language, dress, and cultural ties to their heritage; this book was a sports and history lesson rolled into one. WONDERFUL!

[lindsay_w_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In the late 1800s, America was focused on ridding itself of the “Indian Problem” to free up land for white settlers. The creation of The Carlisle Indian Industrial School was part of the effort to “kill the Indian” in aboriginal children and assimilate them into white culture. Jim Thorpe, arguably one of the greatest multi-sport athletes ever, entered the Carlisle school in 1904. His natural athletic ability drove him to the football team, which provided some escape from the harsh conditions at the school. Despite Thorpe and the team’s astounding success, and his gold medal performance in decathlon at the 1912 Olympics, he was still plagued with racist stereotypes. Football fans will appreciate Sheinkin’s detailed history of both Thorpe’s athletic career and the game of football, and hopefully readers will question why it is that we still have racist names like the Washington Redskins in the NFL.

[lindamamak · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful biography of Jim Thorpe and the years he played football at the Carlisle School, His encounters with Pop Warner and his Olympic experience.