On Presidents Day: The American Presidency and Athletics

Presidents Day is an American holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February. My students thought the U.S. just decided to "split the difference" between Abraham Lincoln's birthday on February 12 and George Washington's on February 22. Not true! According to the History Channel, Presidents Day was "originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington. 

The holiday became popularly known as Presidents Day after it was moved as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers. While several states still have individual holidays honoring the birthdays of Washington, Abraham Lincoln and other figures, Presidents Day is now popularly viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents, past and present." 

Though I have yet to see many Presidents Day celebrations or participate in such traditions, the website did note that, "A number of states also require that their public schools spend the days leading up to Presidents Day teaching students about the accomplishments of the presidents, often with a focus on the lives of Washington and Lincoln." I decided to join in the fun—in a way that speaks to Sports and Spirituality. Here's what I taught. I hope you enjoy.

At the George W. Bush Presidential museum in Dallas, TX
I learned 43's bicycle is known as Peloton One

Americans love sports. Make no mistake about it. We are a people that watch, play, monetize, import and export sports like no other. In "Take Time for Paradise: Americans and Their Games," the late MLB commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti wrote "It has long been my conviction that we can learn far more about the conditions, and values, of a society by contemplating how is chooses to play, to use its free time, to take its leisure, than by examining how it goes about its work." Such a belief led me to think about not the work of our Presidents—their politics and policies, political party or provisions—but rather about the sports they chose to play. How did these men use their free time and take leisure before, during and after their tenure at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. This is what I have learned!

There are a number of good websites that chronicle this topic! Here are but three of them

Oval Office Athletes: Presidents and the Sports They Played: In what is another History Channel resource, Patrick Kiger provides an excellent overview of the topic, replete with numerous links and images (in gallery). Ultimately it profiles eleven presidents and the sports that helped define them.

USA Today's The 10 most athletic presidents of all time ranks how each Commander in Chief (might) fare against the others. Though 44 played a different sport than 43, and in spite of the fact some might not consider bowlers great athletes, the competitive skill and success of each President is described! 

It's no secret that a number of Presidents are golfers and have strong ties to the game. The namesake of George H. W. Bush and the great-grandfather of George W. Bush was George Herbert Walker, who served as president of the United States Golf Association. The prestigious Walker Cup is named in his honor. Our current US President, Donald Trump owns 17 courses, the most famous of which is Trump Turnberry or Trump National in West Palm Beach. He has been criticized for the number of rounds he has played in office—a complaint that was extended to his predecessor, Barack Obama. Golf Digest suggests both grievances are warranted. Americans should know that George W. Bush did not play any golf after the events of 9/11. "I didn't like the message that would send to the American people," he told David Feherty, on his show. 

With such ties to golf, Golf Digest got in on the fun and wrote Which presidents were the best athletes? You might be surprised. I'd love to know who had the lowest handicap.

To compliment what I learned, I shared the videos interspersed in this posting with my students. I actually teared up when I revisited the clip 41 and 43 at the Ballpark in Arlington. It is hard for me to see how much change can take place in nine years time. The Saturday Night Sketch of Bill Clinton—the everyday jogger—had my students laughing so hard, they actually clapped at the end of Phil Hartman's impression. They loved Barack Obama's sense of humor and oratorical skills...and like so many of them, his love for the NBA.

I hope on this national holiday that you have the time to engage in sport, whether as a participant or a fan. It is a great day to give thanks for our freedoms, a great one which is the freedom to play and recreate. I hope you enjoyed learning a little more about the Presidency and Athletics. BTW: The White House has a tennis court, putting green, swimming pool, bowling alley and basketball hoop. Some good sports! God Bless America.

Photo Credits

Who Is On Your Mount Rushmore?

I suppose no day is more appropriate than President's Day 2014 to think about a question many people have been discussing since LeBron James was asked—Who is on your Mount Rushmore? 

My sister and I visited in 2001; it was completely fogged in. Oh well.

Although LeBron was asked to name the individuals who would stand on his Mount Rushmore for the NBA, the question invites us to think about the original monument carved out of the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. The carving, which started in 1927 and was completed in 1941, easily could have featured leaders from a singular era, but that's not what you see. Although many Americans can readily name three of the four presidential greats, the man responsible for the protection of so much American land and wildlife through the creation of our National Park system (one of which is Mt. Rushmore) is the fourth face—none other than Teddy Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States. 

In recent years, I have heard some say it's time we make room for another; voices have called for adding Ronald Reagan. Part of me wonders if one day, Mount Rushmore will include a female face? It's a fun conversation to have, and I'm sure that's why LeBron James put himself out there when he answered it.

No Bill Russell? Really?!

For the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, the question was asked in relation to his craft. As written by Dwaine Price of the Sac Bee, "James said his Mount Rushmore of players - the four greatest NBA players of all-time - would include Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson. For what it's worth, that's not a bad fearsome foursome.

But we all know that going down that greatest of all-time lane is a game you can't win. Particularly when you limit yourself to just four players.

James, however, went there and did that, and the criticism naturally started pouring in from all corners of this global sport. James, who also said somebody's got to be removed from Mount Rushmore because he's going to be at the top of the mountain when his career is over, believes the historical architects have some more house cleaning to do."

From the moment he answered the question, people have raised even more. How or why he did not include Wilt Chamberlain? What about Kareem Abdul- Jabar? And who is Oscar Robertson—the "TR" of his Mount? And I would like to raise another. Who is on yours? Why? 

I think it's a fun question to entertain and to consider in various domains.  Who is on your spiritual Mount Rushmore? One for your favorite sport or your passion? For your faith?

Last Thursday, I attended a breakfast hosted by the Catholic Professionals of San Jose that featured the head football coach of the San Jose Spartans, Ron Caragher. Without even knowing it, he essentially revealed who was on his personal Mount Rushmore—one for character and outstanding virtue. 

Raised by a single mother, Caragher was tremendously grateful for the male role models who shaped his life—his character, men who set examples of strong leadership and how to be a gentleman. What was striking to me is that he met each of these men through his participation in athletics. 

In sharing the story of how he returned home to the San Jose area with his wife Wendy and their three sons, he extended his gratitude to the great coaches who shaped him along the way. His fifth-grade football coach, and another one at Bellarmine—where he went to high school. Terry Donahue was tremendously influential in Caragher becoming the coach that he is today. Recruited as a quarterback, Carragher's fate changed when a man named Troy Aikman transferred to UCLA. Donahue however, kept Ron Caragher involved from the sidelines. He was tasked with tracking plays when he wasn't backing up Aikman.

The beauty of one's own Mount Rushmore is that you can include people you know and those who admire from afar. They can be from multiple eras and even opposing teams. And Ron Caragher would agree. Although he never played for John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach, Caragher has read enough about his leadership and commitment to excellence that it was obvious to me that the "Wizard of Westlake" would be his fourth and final face on his Mountainside. I am certain Wooden's principles and the pyramid of success guide the San Jose State Spartans football team under Caragher's leadership today.

As a Catholic, I recognize that my faith tradition affords me with hundreds of examples of men and women who have given their lives in total service to God and to others. There is no shortage of saints to place on my Catholic Mount Rushmore. Mary and Joseph, Mother Teresa, and Saint Paul come to mind. But, so do everyday people that have colored my world. 

On this President's Day, I invite you to think of Americans you might place on your Mount Rushmore and take it from there....for music lovers, maybe a Rock n Roll Mount Rushmore? For tennis players—I would love to read that one! Is there room for a fifth face? Might you be on anyone's Mount Rushmore? As Russell Wilson's father might say "Why not you."  

Photo Credits
In South Dakota
LeBron's Mt Rushmore
Ron Caragher
Catholic Mount Rushmore

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/16/6162444/commentary-lebron-james-caused.html#storylink=cpy