Question of the Week

Nate, San Marcos, TX
Subj: Fore! God and country
It seems like every American president from the past 50 years has been a golfer. Who is the best of the bunch?

That honor belongs to John F. Kennedy, an exceptional all-around athlete who possessed a seven handicap during his prime. Kennedy’s real strength was his long, smooth swing which was nearly as beautiful as some of the women he snuck into the White House. Although Kennedy may have been the Oval Office’s best golfer, the most passionate duffer was probably Gerald Ford. The nation’s 38th president was the first person to join the United States Golf Association (USGA) members program and he routinely worked on refining his game with pros like Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin and Dave Stockton. Of course, just because he was passionate doesn’t mean he was any good. Ford was famous for accidentally hitting spectators with wayward shots and he once capped off a memorable appearance at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic by telling the media, "I would like to deny all allegations by Bob Hope that during my last game of golf, I hit an eagle, a birdie, an elk and a moose."

Question of the Week

Desmond, Toronto, ON
Subj: Take me out to the ballgame
Hey Ryan, what’s the origin of the seventh inning stretch?

Although it's now a revered part of the game, baseball's seventh inning stretch began mostly by accident. According to lore, the stretch was first introduced on April 14th, 1910 when portly President William Howard Taft got up to stretch his aching body during the seventh inning of a game between Washington and Philadelphia. As the story goes, Taft's entourage rose as well, signaling the rest of the fans to do the same. What began as restlessness is now tradition thanks to America’s chubbiest chief of state.