Comments on: Score One for Roosevelt

By: MD Dennis

MD Dennis — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 23:01:50 +0000

I’m in France, have been following the Rugby World Cup and this week mentioned to a British friend that rugby reminds me of the way American football was played when it first began. This article confirms that observation–and, also, offers fascinating information on how TR helped save and shape the game. Theodore Roosevelt, also, integrated the US Civil Service so that African Americans were eligible for government jobs. So it is interesting that football is now one of the most racially integrated sports. The article, again, reminds me of the importance of history–of understanding how things came to be as they are, even football.

By: Frank Barron,Rome,GA

Frank Barron,Rome,GA — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 18:17:33 +0000

Von Gammon was a Roman. Shortly after his death his mother wrote the Governor of Georgia and asked that football not be banned. Check it out in the history of Rome. There is a marker in Rome on Broad and 5ht ave describing the event.

By: Karen Abbott

Karen Abbott — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:42:20 +0000

Christian, thanks for the comment. I haven’t read the Atlantic piece–I’ll have to check it out.

By: Christian James

Christian James — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:01:42 +0000

Was this post inspired perhaps by Taylor Branch’s “Shame of College Sports” essay in the Atlantic? He mentioned the White House summit there. Thanks for elaborating on the episode.