This week’s episode of “Drunk History” features stories of three American sports heroes including Jim Thorpe, Babe Didrikson and Jim Abbott. Although all three athletes came from very different backgrounds, all of their stories have one common theme and that’s overcoming adversity.
The first story is of Jim Thorpe, a Native American who is considered by many to be the greatest athlete who ever lived. Not only was Thorpe an outstanding football player, but he was a track star, baseball player and Olympic medalist. Despite coming from a background not normally suited for athletes, Thorpe left behind a lasting legacy as one of the greatest all-around athletes in the 20th century.
Our second inebriated narrator tells the audience about Babe Didrikson, considered by many to be the greatest female athlete of all time. Although she started her athletic career by playing sports such as basketball and swimming, she eventually decided to try golf. Didrikson was so talented that she not only was able to compete with men, but she ultimately helped created the LPGA Tour which still exists to this day.
For the final story, we learn the story of Jim Abbott, a Michigan native who overcame incredible odds to become a pitcher in professional baseball. Many athletes are forced to defeat the odds in some shape or form, but Abbott’s handicap was much more noticeable. Abbott was born without a right hand, making his rise the professional baseball that much more unlikely. From the University of Michigan, to the U.S.A. National team to Major League Baseball, Abbott proved to be much more than just some sort of gimmick or publicity stunt. In fact, Abbott would go on to one day throw a no-hitter with the New York Yankees.
Next week’s episode features three stories of former first ladies. As always, you can watch “Drunk History” every Tuesday on Comedy Central at 10:30 p.m.
