You Don't Have to be an American President to Swim
You Don't Have to be an American President to Swim
By Phillip Whitten, Guest Blogger
In the first three articles of this series, we recounted how many American presidents – from John Quincy Adams to Teddy Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan – have swum on a regular basis to enhance and maintain their good health and to relieve the tremendous stress under which they must work every day. But, of course, you don’t have to be a president to be a swimmer. This article, the fourth and final one in this series, takes a quick look at one very prominent American who, though he was held in the highest esteem by his countrymen, never ran for president: Benjamin Franklin.
Franklin is unquestionably the most extraordinary of a generation of extraordinary men, often referred to as America’s “Founding Fathers.” A few years ago, USA Swimming officially recognized the renowned polymath as the “Father of American Swimming.” It was an honor he richly deserved. Not only did the politician-statesman-scientist-inventor-journalist-printer-author and social innovator swim on a daily basis for his health, he also is recognized as the inventor of hand paddles and kick paddles, which he created at the age of 11.
Learn more:
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
Franklin is unquestionably the most extraordinary of a generation of extraordinary men, often referred to as America’s “Founding Fathers.” A few years ago, USA Swimming officially recognized the renowned polymath as the “Father of American Swimming.” It was an honor he richly deserved. Not only did the politician-statesman-scientist-inventor-journalist-printer-author and social innovator swim on a daily basis for his health, he also is recognized as the inventor of hand paddles and kick paddles, which he created at the age of 11.
Learn more:
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
