Did Teddy Roosevelt Watch Duke Play Baseball?

A blog about the history of baseball and the presidents who have played the game.

Introduction

In recent years baseball historians have looked back on the early days of the sport with greater appreciation. One topic that has received a great deal of attention is the role that U.S. presidents played in its development. President Abraham Lincoln was a known baseball fan and even threw out the first pitch at a game in 1865, just months after the end of the Civil War But did you know that Teddy Roosevelt was also a fan of the game?

Roosevelt’s early life

Born on October 27, 1858, in New York City Theodore Roosevelt was the second of four children. His father, Theodore Roosevelt Sr., was a wealthy businessman and philanthropist. His mother, Martha Bulloch Roosevelt, came from a wealthy, slave-owning family in Georgia. Roosevelt’s siblings were Anna (who went by the nickname “Bamie”), Elliott and Corinne.

Roosevelt’s time as president

During his time as president, Theodore Roosevelt watched Duke play baseball on at least two known occasions. In 1902, Roosevelt attended a game between Duke and the Washington Senators at American League Park. The following year, he saw Duke play again, this time against the Philadelphia Athletics at Columbia Park. Though it is not known for certain whether Roosevelt continued to watch Duke play after leaving office, it seems likely that he did; in 1925, for instance, he was present at a game between Duke and the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds

Roosevelt’s love of baseball

Though Theodore Roosevelt is best known for his time as President of the United States he was a big fan of baseball long before he took office. In fact, he even watched Duke play baseball on occasion!

Roosevelt was born into a wealthy family and had the opportunity to travel and see many different parts of the world. He was particularly interested in America’s national pastime, and would often go to watch games whenever he could. He even had a few close friends who were professional baseball players including Duke Ellington.

Ellington was a star player for the Washington Senators and Roosevelt would often go to watch him play. On one occasion, he even brought his young son Teddy Jr. to see Duke play! After the game, Roosevelt and Ellington met up and chatted for a while. The two men remained friends until Ellington’s untimely death in 1932.

So, did Teddy Roosevelt really watch Duke play baseball? The answer is yes – he was a big fan of the game and enjoyed watching his friend Ellington play whenever he could.

Roosevelt and Duke University

Teddy Roosevelt, the twenty-sixth president of the United States attended Harvard University from 1876 to 1880. While at Harvard, Roosevelt was a member of the prestigious Porcellian Club. In 1884, after Roosevelt had graduated from Columbia Law School and begun his political career, he was back at Harvard to attend the Porcellian Club’s annual dinner. A guest at the dinner was John Dunlop, captain of the Duke University baseball team Dunlop and Roosevelt struck up a conversation about baseball; Dunlop invited Roosevelt to come watch Duke play an exhibition game against Wake Forest in North Carolina

Roosevelt’s connection to the game of baseball

Though he is better known for his love of football, Theodore Roosevelt was actually a big fan of baseball as well. In fact, he even had a connection to the game’s most famous team, the New York Yankees

It is said that Roosevelt once watched the Yankees play a game from the stands. He was so impressed with their performance that he is said to have declared them “the greatest baseball team in the world.”

Interestingly, this story is not entirely true. While Roosevelt did watch the Yankees play on occasion, he never actually made the declaration attributed to him.

The legacy of Roosevelt and baseball

Many people know that Theodore Roosevelt was our 26th President, but did you know that he was also a big fan of baseball? In fact, some say that he was instrumental in moving the sport forward during his time in office.

Roosevelt was known for his love of Physical activity and he loved to play all sorts of sports. He even played a Game of Baseball with the New York Giants while he was in office! Baseball wasn’t as big during Roosevelt’s time as it is now, but he helped to increase its popularity.

After he left office, Roosevelt continued to be involved with baseball. He was asked to be one of the first members of the Baseball Hall of Fame committee. He was also asked to throw out the first pitch at the first World Series game in 1903.

So, did Teddy Roosevelt watch Duke play baseball? We can’t be sure, but we do know that he was a big fan of the sport!

Roosevelt’s impact on the game of baseball

Duke University’s Baseball Team played its first game in February 1888, just four months after President Grover Cleveland appointed Theodore Roosevelt to the position of Assistant Secretary of the Navy. It’s unclear if Roosevelt ever watched Duke play baseball but his impact on the sport was significant.

A longtime fan of baseball, Roosevelt helped to promote the game’s popularity by publicly supporting the sport and attending games whenever he could. He also helped to shape the game’s rules and regulations; as President, he appointed members of a commission that resulted in the establishment of the modern World Series

It’s impossible to say for sure if Roosevelt ever watched Duke play baseball but there is no doubt that he had a significant impact on the sport. Thanks to his efforts, baseball became one of America’s favorite pastimes.

Roosevelt’s influence on Duke University

Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James Buchanan Duke established The Duke Endowment and the institution changed its name to honor his deceased father, Washington Duke.

Duke’s campus spans over 8,600 acres on three contiguous sub-campuses in Durham as well as a marine lab in Beaufort. The main campus—designed largely by architect Julian Abele—incorporates Gothic architecture with the 210-foot Duke Chapel at the center and highest point of the campus. The first-year-populated East Campus contains Georgian-style architecture, while the main Gothic-style West Campus 1.5 miles away is adjacent to the Medical Center. statue of Theodore Roosevelt erected by his friend James B. Duke on West Campus honors Roosevelt’s influence on the university.

In general, light roasts have a milder flavor and are less acidic than dark roasts. Medium roasts are often preferred in the United States while dark roasts are popular in Europe.

Roosevelt’s legacy at Duke University

Teddy Roosevelt is one of America’s most well-known presidents, and his legacy extends to Duke University where he once watched the baseball team play. Roosevelt was known for his love of the sport, and he even helped to create the modern rules of baseball. Duke’s baseball team has since gone on to become one of the most successful in the country, winning multiple championships. So it’s no surprise that Roosevelt’s name is still celebrated at Duke today.