Hooverball
Why do you think it was important for President Hoover to find a unique way to stay fit?
Being President is a busy job, without much time for exercise. The Presidential doctors got creative when it came to keeping the only President from Iowa, Herbert Hoover, healthy and fit.
Transcript
Abby Brown:
Can you name the one president that was born here in Iowa? He's buried here too. That's right! It's President Herbert Hoover, the 31st president of the United States. In Cedar County, on the Eastern side of Iowa, you can explore the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. It's in the town of West Branch, where President Hoover was born he lived here until he was a young boy. The library and museum have so much to see. You can learn about his life, his travels, his presidency, and so much more.
Staying healthy and strong is something we all need to do, but, as the president, it's not always easy to find time. You can see by some of these exhibits just how busy President Hoover was. So the White House doctor invented a game called Hooverball to keep the president in tip-top physical shape! Hooverball was a combination of tennis and volleyball and used a six pound medicine ball. President Hoover would play it first thing in the morning on the White House lawn with some of his staff and friends. A game of Hooverball was a good way to get a really good workout done in a short amount of time. How is that for making history and staying healthy too? Hooverball is just one of the stories to be uncovered here at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. There's so much more to explore about Iowa's only United States president.
Every county in Iowa has an important story to tell. Thanks for exploring Cedar County with me!