Football

President Roosevelt pushes off the “big stick” and says, “Don’t flinch; don’t foul” as he leans on Timothy L. Woodruff who leans on George Rumsey Sheldon who leans on Secretary of State Elihu Root who leans on J. S. Sherman who leans on Frank H. Hitchcock who ultimately leans on William H. Taft who is fighting against William Jennings Bryan. On the other side William Randolph Hearst pours a “Standard Oil” can and says, “I’ll make ’em slip.” Meanwhile, Norman Edward Mack leans against Herman Ridder who leans against William James Conners who leans against Charles Francis Murphy who leans against John Worth Kern who leans against Bryan. Uncle Sam referees.

comments and context

Comments and Context

It was impressive cartoon that readers of the Brooklyn Eagle beheld in the Election Day edition of the paper. It was, properly, not partisan or biased toward a candidate or party, published as it was on Election Day when political argumentation traditionally ceased.

Crowds cheer from the stands with the labels of “West,” “North,” and “East” and William H. Taft rushes with the football of “Roosevelt policies” down the field. Oklahoma Governor Charles Nathaniel Haskell is carried off the field on a stretcher asking, “Whazza matter. Am I hurt?” Meanwhile on the field, President Roosevelt tackles William Jennings Bryan by the head as Thomas Louis Hisgen, Eugene W. Chafin, and Eugene V. Debs huddle on the field: “What are we going to do about it?” Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker stumbles off the field on crutches.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Many political cartoonists of the Theodore Roosevelt era attempted to capture and communicate multiple issues of various complexity in one drawing. These genre drawings putatively laid many topics and personalities before readers, and perhaps were meant to summarize recent political developments. The mode required ambition and skill; some, like John T. McCutcheon and Jay N. “Ding” Darling, were masters, and thereby built foundations of their longevity and fame. Many political cartoonists who live in obscurity today managed the challenges poorly.

President Roosevelt holds a football in the shape of William H. Taft’s head as William Jennings Bryan tries to tackle him.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Cartoonist Camillus Kessler, in the routinely anti-Roosevelt Women’s National Daily of St. Louis, drew a cartoon in the final weeks of the 1908 that made salient points about the larger circumstances related to the election.

William Jennings Bryan pushes William H. Taft away from the “ballot majority” as Samuel Gompers, Thomas E. Watson, and William Randolph Hearst try to get their hands in. President Roosevelt comes running with the “big stick.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

The Atlanta Georgian never was that city’s major newspaper but fashioned itself into a Muckraking and reform journal, crusading against the convict-lease system, child labor abuses, and such. Four years after this cartoon ran — a reflection of its extreme political partisanship — William Randolph Hearst bought it and added it his growing chain of papers. The city’s major voice, The Constitution, was allied with publisher Joseph Pulitzer.

President Roosevelt holds a football and charges toward Alton B. Parker as David B. Hill and Thomas Taggart look on. Crowds cheer in the background. Caption: This is no case of tackling the dummy. Quarterback Parker now has a chance to show the stuff he is made of. —Minneapolis Journal.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10

An article in the Harvard Graduates’ Magazine calls for a break in athletic competition between Harvard and Yale, asserting that Yale focuses too much on athletics and not enough on academics.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-28

Sherrard Billings thanks President Roosevelt for the autographed picture. He reports that he has asked Arthur Woods to write to Roosevelt about Roosevelt’s son, Theodore “Ted” Roosevelt, playing football. While Ted is stronger than he was last year, “he plays so hard that he needs […] one more year before the first spread.” Billings believes Ted’s physical ability should be closer to his playing ability, but writes that Woods’s letter will explain more.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-10-08

The Yale Bulldogs beat the Washington & Jefferson Presidents 11-0 at New Haven, Connecticut.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-03

Theodore Roosevelt is thankful for the geese and ducks that George von Lengerke Meyer sent him. Roosevelt is also envious of Meyer’s “bag.”

Collection

Massachusetts Historical Society

Creation Date

1908-11-22

This issue of Leslie’s magazine, published shortly before the celebration of Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday, collects a number of stories and anecdotes remembering Roosevelt. These stories include remembrances from Roosevelt’s boxing partner while Roosevelt was president, an article by Hermann Hagedorn on the collection of Roosevelt-related artifacts, and a report on the upcoming creation of Roosevelt-Sequoia National Park in California as a memorial to Roosevelt.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation

Creation Date

1921-10-22

Black and white postcard featuring the heads of eleven United States presidents superimposed on to the bodies of football players. From left to right pictured are: Herbert Hoover, Calvin Coolidge, Woodrow Wilson, William McKinley, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, Warren G. Harding, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In the background is the United States Capitol.

Collection

Fritz R. Gordner Collection

Creation Date

1933-1943

Sally Flandrau Cutcheon threatens to never write to Charles Macomb Flandrau again unless he changes his “vulgar and idiotic” writing style. Cutcheon recently attended several plays and football games. She wants to acquire a grand piano.

Collection

Arizona Historical Society

Creation Date

1891-11

Kermit Roosevelt was sorry to hear of Martha Ferguson’s recent illness and Isabella Ferguson’s anxiety. Roosevelt visited Archibald B. Roosevelt at Groton School and they had a good time even though Archibald has been having dental issues. Roosevelt is still playing football and training for the two mile race.

Collection

Arizona Historical Society

Creation Date

Unknown

General Wood has a souvenir Mauser rifle he will send to John Campbell Greenway at the earliest opportunity. He was pleased to see Theodore Roosevelt win the New York gubernatorial election. Wood is doing well in Cuba. The work is hard but the results are great. Mr. Byrnes is the only Rough Rider that has stayed with Wood. He is a valuable man and is currently working as a messenger.

Collection

Arizona Historical Society

Creation Date

1898-12-20

Ted Roosevelt has been working hard for several weeks at a carpet manufacturing business. He finds the work interesting and is not missing his college days. President Roosevelt seems excited for his upcoming African safari and Ted believes he will enjoy it. Ted cast his first presidential vote for William H. Taft. The election was very important for business and Taft secured a sweeping victory.

Collection

Arizona Historical Society

Creation Date

1908

Ted Roosevelt would like to come visit John Campbell Greenway in the autumn after spending the summer with his family. He has been considering positions and wants to find work that really interests him. President Roosevelt is very busy with legislation and the upcoming convention. College football practice has started and Ted wants “one more chance at the old game.”

Collection

Arizona Historical Society

Creation Date

1908

E. B. Bloss describes an underclassman’s successful football tryout at Harvard.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-11

President Roosevelt declares it a great delight to be at Columbia University. He is pleased to see his old friend has become the university’s president. Listening to the students’ cheers reminds him of being on the football field.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-04-19

President Roosevelt thanks the crowd for the gift of a football in Chapman, Kansas.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-05-02

President Roosevelt greets a crowd from Salina and Bethany, Kansas. He discusses his travels and seeing the “productivity of the state” in its land changes. He also addresses the educational institutions nearby and the development of character. Roosevelt also discusses his previous gift of a football and lessons that can be learned from football.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-05-02