Who was the first native american who played in the olympics?

This question is not easy to answer. For starters, it depends upon what was meant by "olympics." I have found no record of Native Americans participating in Olympics prior to 1904 and that is the rub. The 1904 Olympics were held in conjunction with the St. Louis World's Fair (officially called the Louisiana Purchase Centennial Exposition) and included competitions not normally considered olympic events, such as Anthropology Days in which indigeneous people from several countries competed against each other in competitions in which they were unfamiliar.

The answer being sought is probably Frank Pierce, younger brother of Carlisle Indian School football immortals, Bemus and Hawley Pierce, who competed in the marathon. However, that answer may be technically incorrect if nonstandard events are included. For more on Native American participation in the early Olympics refer to my blog in which I am running a series on that subject: www.TomBenjey.WordPress.com. Entry http://tombenjey.wordpress.com/2008/07/16/native-americans-in-1904-olympics-part-i/ begins the discussion beginning with the 1904 games.

First answer by Tom Benjey. Last edit by Tom Benjey. Contributor trust: 0 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 1 [recommend question]