Today's Tidbit... Happy Birthday, FDR, A Second-String Lineman

The first future U.S. President known to play football was Franklin Delano Roosevelt, born 141 years ago today. Although young FDR achieved the highest score among his Groton classmates on Harvard's entrance exam, he was not a gifted athlete. He tried out for the baseball team early in his Groton days but did not make the roster and became the team manager instead.

FDR stands third from right with the Groton School baseball team. (National Archives, 196066388)

FDR also played football as a second-string lineman and rowed crew at the Groton School.