Obscure facts on presidents

My column last week titled “Out kicked my punt coverage” must have hit home with many husbands in town. I have received text messages, emails and even phone calls about how they can relate to my description of my bride. It was heart warming to hear from so many husbands who think so highly of their wives.

Which president enjoyed skinny-dipping? Which one befriended his burglar while in office? Presidents are people too, and they have been wild, wonderful, and plain weird. Readers Digest offered up some of these facts in honor of Presidents Day this week.

Abraham Lincoln turned down the chance to host elephants

In 1861, the King of Siam offered to gift President Lincoln “several pairs of young male and female elephants,” which were indigenous to his country (today we know it as Thailand). The elephants could be bred to multiply, the king suggested, and the herds could be used as “beasts of burden” that could work alongside the military during the Civil War. The president politely declined the offer, opting to use steam power instead of animal labor.

Gerald Ford modeled on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine

Before he became our nation’s 38th president, Gerald Ford had a side gig as a model. In 1942, shortly after joining the Navy, he landed an uncredited spot on the cover of Cosmopolitan in his uniform. Another fun fact? It was during this time that he met and went on to marry a fellow model, Elizabeth Bloomer. She became known to Americans as First Lady Betty Ford.

John Quincy Adams approved a real-life journey to the center of the Earth

Back in the 1800s, little was known about our planet. In the absence of scientific evidence, some people believed in some kooky theories—like the idea that planet Earth is hollow. Our sixth president, John Quincy Adams, was on board with this one. The commander-in-chief even signed off on a proposed expedition by a fellow Hollow Earther and would-be explorer to the Earth’s “empty” core. But when Andrew Jackson was voted into office four years later, he put the kibosh on the journey that never was.

William Howard Taft took a custom bathtub on a trip to Panama

The legend goes that our 27th president once got stuck in a bathtub and had to be pulled out by six men. Although President William Taft did weigh 340 pounds at his heaviest, this story is wholly false. But it probably stemmed from Taft’s (very true) affinity for baths. In fact, he ordered a 7-foot-long tub that weighed a literal ton to be built and placed aboard the USS North Carolina, so he could luxuriate in it on his way to Panama.

Herbert Hoover’s White House staff hid from him

In a very diva (or perhaps just racist) move, 31st president Herbert Hoover insisted that his staff never see him around the White House—and he didn’t want to see them either. This caused quite the charade, of course, as the staff felt pressured to hide from the president whenever he was present. According to White House journalist Kenneth Walsh, staffers would “pile into closets” and “hide behind bushes so the president couldn’t see them.”

Lyndon B. Johnson proposed to Lady Bird with a $2.50 ring from Sears

In 1934, Lyndon B. Johnson, then 26, proposed to Claudia Alta “Ladybird” Taylor, 22, on their first date. Though she declined his offer, Johnson continued to woo her from afar, sending his sweetheart 90 letters in the span of about 90 days. Impatient, Johnson traveled from Washington, D.C. to Texas to arrive at her door with an ultimatum—marry me now or forever hold your peace. She accepted his proposal and the $2.50 engagement ring that came with it.

John Quincy Adams loved to skinny-dip

While in office, sixth president John Quincy Adams often swam in the Potomac River, and he preferred to do so in the buff. Adams was an early riser, and in his diaries, he wrote of waking at about 4 a.m. and taking a morning dip—nude. Though it sounds risqué now, skinny-dipping was apparently common in those day.

Theodore Roosevelt officially gave the White House its name

Though the residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is painted white, it was known as The Executive Mansion and The President’s Palace until October 1901, when then-president Theodore Roosevelt referred to it as The White House. The 26th president made the moniker official when he had it engraved on his stationery.

Warren Harding lost the White House china in a poker game

Warren Harding, our 29th president, loved a game of poker—and apparently, he was a high roller. During one of his bi-weekly poker games, Harding gambled away a set of china that had been in the White House since President Benjamin Harrison’s tenure six terms prior. He bet it all on one ill-advised hand.

Thomas Jefferson kept pet grizzly bears

During his tenure as our third president, Thomas Jefferson became the happy recipient of a wild gift: a pair of grizzly bear cubs. He kept them in a cage on the front lawn of the White House for a few months before deciding they were too dangerous to keep and bequeathing them to a museum.

Ulysses S. Grant was arrested for speeding—on a horse

A noted equestrian, our 18th president was quite confident on a horse—perhaps too confident. While driving his horse and buggy at a furious pace during his presidential tenure, Grant was pulled over twice within the span of 24 hours. The second time, one bold police officer decided to arrest the commander-in-chief, who was ultimately given a fine. Legend has it that the officer and the president eventually became friends.

The first White House bowling alley was a birthday present for Harry Truman

In 1947, 33rd President Harry Truman became responsible for having a bowling alley installed in the West Wing in celebration of his 63rd birthday. He became the first person to ever throw a bowling ball down the White House lane, and one of the seven pins he knocked down is on display at the Smithsonian Institution.

Bill Clinton is a My Little Pony Expert

During a segment on the NPR show “Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me!,” 42nd President Bill Clinton was quizzed about the animated movie My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. To the amazement of his hosts, he nailed all three questions and won a prize on behalf of the listener for whom he was playing.

Clint Eastwood was almost Vice President under George H.W. Bush

While running for office in 1988, then-presidential nominee George Bush was not feeling lucky, so he considered bringing on the “Dirty Harry” actor to help breathe life into his struggling campaign. Clint Eastwood had been mayor of Carmel, California, but Bush famously chose Dan Quayle as his running mate instead.

James Garfield could write in Greek with one hand and Latin with the other

The ambidextrous James Garfield could write in two languages simultaneously: Latin and Greek. He taught both languages while attending the acclaimed Williams College in Massachusetts, where he was later named president before going on to be elected as the 20th president of the United States.

(Ray Hibbard may be reached by e-mail at ray@edmondpaper.com)

“Four Seasons” in real life is located in front of the Center for Transformative Learning on the University of Central Oklahoma campus, but this week is hidden somewhere in our paper.

Please e-mail contest@edmondpaper.com with the correct location to be entered in the weekly drawing.

Commissioned as a partnership between UCO, the City of Edmond and the Edmond Visual Arts Commission, “Four Seasons” was created by sculptor Kevin Box of New Mexico and was dedicated on the campus on March 24, 2011.

Kevin is a member of the National Sculptor’s Guild. His Box Studio LLC is a strong supporter of the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle concept, using recycled metal as part of the casting process for his sculptures. All of his work is 100 percent recyclable.

For more information on Edmond public art, please visit http://visitedmondok.com/public-art.php.

Shelby Hudson scholarships awarded at Edmond Memorial

Robert Dunham and Jordan Ferguson, of Edmond Memorial High School, Class of 2023, recently received the Shelby Hudson Football Memorial Scholarship on recently during their annual football banquet.

The $4,000 tuition-based scholarship each will be paid to the college or postsecondary studies of the recipient's choice.

The scholarship was established on Aug. 2, 2005 in honor of Davis and Lisa Hudson's son, Shelby, who was a 2003 EMHS graduate and is awarded annually to two players who display the qualities and characteristics that Shelby exemplified as a Bulldog player.

These include personal motivation and character, heart and desire to excel, drive and determination to accomplish goals and perseverance in the face of all obstacles.

"We are extremely pleased and honored to make this scholarship available to these two outstanding young men. Both Robert and Jordan have shown tremendous perseverance as they both had torn their ACL during their football careers. With their hard work and commitment to overcome these setbacks, they have proven that they will be successful in