Like many children in my family, I grew up hearing stories of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s athletic prowess. For every FDR story grandpa would tell about the New Deal or WWII, he’d tell two about FDR competing in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. I remember being awe-struck as grandpa told me of our president’s win over Jesse Owens in the 200 meter dash and his win over Max Schmeling in the steeplechase. This was our president-getting gold medals while in office! Grandpa also said FDR could clean and jerk a refrigerator, though he admitted this was just a rumor that could only be verified by one living person-Antonin Scalia. Gramps said Scalia wasn’t talking, but that he believed the story anyway.
I couldn’t believe that one of the best presidents our country has ever known was also one of our better athletes. I literally had a hard time believing it. So when I became old enough, I went to our local library and checked out a book on FDR. Upon reading it, I came to a conclusion that shook me to the core. It turns out FDR didn’t even compete in the ’36 Olympics let alone win two gold medals. In fact, he spent most of his adult life in a wheelchair. He could barely walk. So while FDR rightfully takes his place in any discussion of the best presidents in United States history, he really wasn’t that great of an athlete.
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