Teddy Roosevelt went to college football games. He invited boxing and wrestling champions to the White House. He even installed a tennis court on the White House lawn. But there was one sport he never liked. OnlyAGameNPR
The Nationals began playing in Washington D.C. in 2005. It wasn't until 2012 that the team posted a winning record.
"Can you describe some of the things the Nationals have done to keep Teddy from winning? Because they've gone to some pretty extreme lengths, right?" I ask. Roosevelt, more than any other president before or since, was obsessed with sports. But even though the Washington Senators played less than two miles away, Roosevelt had never made the trip."By the time 1903, 1904 roll around, baseball's had its first World Series," Swanson says."You start to see kind of some questions raised in the press about when the president is going to go to a game.
"Roosevelt does mention that baseball's always been a struggle for him personally. And he mentions he was not good at baseball as a kid," Swanson says."And, really, what this boils down to, I think, is Roosevelt has really poor eyesight. He gets glasses in his early teen years, and that certainly helps. But Roosevelt can't see very well.
"And 'mollycoddle' is not a word I use very much. You know, so translating roughly: 'It's a sissy game. It doesn't fit Roosevelt's definition for what a sport should be.'" "This is hundreds of teams, hundreds of cities," Swanson says."And they come to Roosevelt, and they just give him the full court press, you know — well, to use a basketball metaphor, mixing sports here. And they tell him baseball is America's national game. It's got all the qualities of democracy and freedom and liberty that you should love. And they turn over to Roosevelt another golden ticket. This one's pretty close to solid gold.
"Baseball is, in some ways, the most overtly professional sport at this time," Swanson says."And Roosevelt sees that open professionalization as really tainting the activity. He ascribes to the idea that sports should be done purely for character development and fun and recreation. And of course, he can, right? He's a rich guy. He's been rich his whole life. And so sports for nonprofit ... kind of fits with his way of looking at the world.
日本 最新ニュース, 日本 見出し
Similar News:他のニュース ソースから収集した、これに似たニュース記事を読むこともできます。
Renaissance Technologies hedge fund bests Warren Buffett: 10 holdings - Business InsiderThese are the 10 biggest holdings of Renaissance Technologies, the secretive $120 billion hedge fund that makes Warren Buffett's returns look mediocre.
続きを読む »
Haunting photos of the 'Forbidden City,' an abandoned military base that hasn't been used in 25 yearsThe 'Forbidden City' was used as the Nazi command center during World War II and housed 40,000 Soviet soldiers during the Cold War.
続きを読む »
Congress to probe 'potentially unfair and deceptive practices' in ticket industrySix leading ticket and event companies were asked to provide documents explaining how customers can have a fair chance to buy tickets at face value.
続きを読む »
House opens probe on ticketing companies and 'high, hidden fees'The House Energy and Commerce committee sent letters to six ticketing companies in an investigation of their ticketing policies and business practices.
続きを読む »
10 of the best heartwarming readsBaby it’s cold outside, but these books will warm you right up…
続きを読む »