I've seen this before, IIRC he would have preferred to run barefoot but the rules stated all athletes must wear shoes, so he had no choice but to find a pair.
Also a proffesional american football player, baseball player, and basketball player, and played lacrosse.
When a native American track star gets his shoes stolen...
because he was "paid" to play baseball, he was stripped of his medals
and played lacrosse
My great great Uncle Jim played in 1921 on the Canton Bulldogs football team with Jim Thorpe
I have a great picture of them together