Traveling to Germany at President Eisenhower’s behest, Hoover gave three speeches in three days to German audiences. Hoover was eighty years old at the time, yet he did not hesitate. When his President called, Hoover answered. He wrote three major policy speeches, edited them en route to Germany, and delivered them to three distinct audiences. … Continue reading Herbert Hoover: Elder Statesman on the Move, November 1954
In presenting Bud Wilkinson the 1949 Football Coach of the Year award in January 1950, Hoover said: ‘Sports have become an integral part of our American civilization. And we may be grateful that so far the advance in social concepts has left them out of governmental regimentation. Sports are still a free enterprise, and because … Continue reading College Football, and Mythicism, 1890s, 1950, 2020
In an April 1967 oral history with Ray Henle, Florida fishing guide, Calvin Albury, recalled his time fishing with Herbert Hoover. Albury first met Hoover in December 1948 at the Key Largo Anglers Club. Hoover needed a new guide for fishing off the Florida Keys. He said to Albury: ‘It looks like I’m going to … Continue reading Hoover Fishing Stories—As Told by Calvin Albury
I cannot imagine Herbert Hoover, at any age or in any context, attending Mardi Gras or any such foofaraw. The man, the mien, and Mardi Gras beads just do not mix. My mind is not that plastic. Evidently Florida Senator Duncan Upshaw Fletcher had a broader perspective. He wrote to Hoover on December 15, 1928, … Continue reading Herbert Hoover and the Gasparilla Pirate Festival
1940 official rule book - American Football for Boys A Safe Game. Official Rules If it is autumn, Americans’ attention turn to football. The cool crisp autumnal air is the perfect vector to carry the satisfying sound of leather meeting leather on the gridiron. The satisfaction of a well-executed tackle was held just as dear … Continue reading Seasons Change, but Football Remains
Herbert Hoover and Babe Ruth before the Stanford vs. University of Southern CA. football game. 11/11/1933 Summer is here and it is time to recall some trivial links between baseball, America’s national pastime, and the Presidency, America’s highest public position. Although they met only once, at a Stanford-USC football game in November 1933, there are … Continue reading Herbert Hoover and Babe Ruth
By Thomas F. Schwartz President Hoover and First Lady Lou Hoover at a dinner at the Waldorf Astoria, Feb. 12, 1933. A common approach to short biography today is to provide a series of questions asking the interview subject to list their favorite foods, movies, music, etc. The archivists are frequently asked these same questions … Continue reading An Eclectic Taste in Music: Herbert Hoover’s Favorite Tunes
By Thomas F. Schwartz Much of the familiarity the Hoovers had with Egypt came from their many journeys through the Suez Canal going to and from Australia. Like train travel where you see landscapes unfold as you travel along the tracks, their understanding of Egypt was initially what they witnessed from the ship traveling through … Continue reading A Vacation in Cairo
A valentine from the Hoover collections. Last year, I wrote on the Valentine’s Day Cards received by President Hoover (https://hoover.blogs.archives.gov/2018/02/14/valentines-day-cards/). I was surprised not only by the variety of cards in circulation in the early 1930s, but also by the large number of card manufacturers. Growing up when and where I did, I assumed that … Continue reading Valentine’s Day Cards – The Rest of the Story
by Spencer Howard Just over 80 years ago, Walt Disney released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first feature length cel animated film, which quickly became both a critical and commercial success. While still popular today, Snow White may seem somewhat quaint compared with more recent animated films, but at the time it was … Continue reading Movie Review – Snow White
