Your TR Source
President Roosevelt tells William T. Reid that he thinks the newly proposed rules for football are excellent. He will be glad to help as long as he can do so quietly and without appearing in print. He was glad to see Reid’s father the other day.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-01-11
President Roosevelt tells Harvard football coach William T. Reid that he believes it is important to free football umpires from “the danger of unpleasant consequences” arising from the anger of teams and coaches if they stop or punish brutality. Roosevelt believes officials should be chosen in a way that will free them from responsibility to players or coaches.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-12-11
President Roosevelt encloses materials from Paul Joseph Dashiell regarding controversy during the Harvard-Yale football game, which he refereed. Roosevelt would like Harvard coach William T. Reid to show the materials to Harvard President Charles William Eliot and then return them. Roosevelt notes that each team believes that the opposing team is in the wrong. He does not want to see football abandoned, and thinks that the hysteria surrounding the sport is as bad as the brutality in the sport. He asks Reid to tell Eliot in particular that Dashiell will make a good umpire “with a little of the proper spirit behind him.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-12-14
President Roosevelt tells Harvard football coach William T. Reid that he will see him if he comes to Washington in the first week of January. If given enough notice, he would like to have lunch together and discuss football.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-12-15
President Roosevelt asks William T. Reid of Harvard University to attend a meeting at the White House to discuss “certain football matters.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-02
President Roosevelt was pleased by William T. Reid’s letter. He agrees the focus of athletics should be efficiency and sportsmanship instead of too much athleticism. Reid’s decision to attend Harvard would please Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-02-10
President Roosevelt does not want to advise William T. Reid about his future life or career but strongly suggests he attends Harvard for a year, not just for the athletics, but also “the general tone of the college.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-16