Ryan Swanson on Theodore Roosevelt and his role in shaping America's love of athletics (8/20/19) - a podcast by Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI Radio in New York

Plagued by such ailments as rippling asthma and grossly myopic eyesight as a child, Theodore Roosevelt was told to give up exercise completely by a doctor while he was attending Harvard. If he didn't, the doctor swore he would die of a heart attack. Still, Roosevelt pressed on. His body was his weakness, the one hill he could never fully conquer. But, oh, how he tried! Roosevelt developed a lifelong obsession with athletics that he carried with him into the highest office in the nation. As President of the United States, he boxed, practiced Ju-Jitsu, played tennis, conducted harrowing “point-to-point” walks, and invited athletes to the White House constantly. With Roosevelt in office, baseball’s first ever World Series took place, interscholastic sports began, and schools began to place a legitimate emphasis on physical education. Additionally, the NCAA formed and the United States hosted the Olympic Games for the first time. Join us for a discussion about TR’s role in fostering America’s love affair with athletics and his role in the birth of professional sports with Ryan Swanson, author of The Strenuous Life: Theodore Roosevelt and the Making of the American Athlete, in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

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