While being introduced as the keynote speaker at a conference some years ago, I was described as a “missionary of fitness.” That had a nice ring to it – and quite true, too. Fitness is one of my greatest passions and only slightly trumped by my love for God and my country. Therefore I strive to use my gifts and talents to motivate the citizens of our great nation to live active lives and practice healthy behaviors.
And so, to celebrate America’s birthday, Debby and I decided to test our readers’ knowledge of both fitness and American history. Answer the questions below and see how well you do. You’ll find the answers at the end of the quiz – but no peeking!
1. This U.S. President was so alarmed by a report that American youth were not as fit as European youths that he created the President’s Council on Youth Fitness, which is now known as the President’s Council on Fitness Sports and Nutrition.
(a) George Washington
(b) Dwight D. Eisenhower
(c) Woodrow Wilson
(d) Abraham Lincoln
2. What do the seven rays of the Statue of Liberty represent?
(a) The seven dwarfs
(b) The seven deadly sins
(c) The seven bones of the cervical vertebrae
(d) The seven continents
3. Under which President was an indoor track installed within the White House?
(a) Harry Truman
(b) Bill Clinton
(c) John F. Kennedy
(d) Ulysses S. Grant
4. In 1959, this fitness guru did 1,000 jumping jacks and 1,000 chin-ups in 1 hour, 22 minutes to promote the TV show named after him.
(a) Jack LaLanne
(b) Captain Kangaroo
(c) Dick Van Dyke
(d) Howdy Doody
5. This military hero and eventual president was described by a fellow officer accordingly:
“measuring six feet two inches in his stockings, and weighing 175 pounds…His frame is padded by well-developed muscles, indicating great strength.”
(a) Bill Clinton
(b) William Taft
(c) George Washington
(d) John Adams
6. A gifted college football player, this President turned down offers to play professionally in order to embark on a career in politics:
(a) Gerald Ford
(b) Richard Nixon
(c) Barack Obama
(d) Jimmy Carter
7. He is the only Founding Father in the Swimming Hall of Fame and briefly contemplated becoming a swimming instructor.
(a) Paul Revere
(b) Thomas Jefferson
(c) Alexander Hamilton
(d) Benjamin Franklin
8. Frail and unhealthy as a child, this President was encouraged to engage in regular and rigorous physical activity in order to alleviate symptoms of asthma.
(a) Teddy Roosevelt
(b) John F. Kennedy
(c) Andrew Johnson
(d) Herbert Hoover
9. This President graduated from the same university (Texas State) as Coach Stacy.
(a) George W. Bush
(b) Lyndon Johnson
(c) Ulysses S. Grant
(d) George H. W. Bush
10. This body building contest was first held in 1940 at Madison Square Garden and won by John Grimek:
(a) Mr. Universe
(b) Mr. Right
(c) Mr. America
(d) Mr. Magoo
11. This President loved to swim and stripped down to his birthday suit every morning for a swim in the Potomac River.
(a) Warren G. Harding
(b) John Quincy Adams
(c) Abraham Lincoln
(d) Franklin Delano Roosevelt
12. “Not less than two hours a day shall be devoted to exercise, and the weather shall be little regarded. If the body is feeble, the mind will not be strong.” Who said it?
(a) Thomas Jefferson
(b) Benjamin Franklin
(c) Lyndon Johnson
(d) Calvin Coolidge
13. He was one of our nation’s unhealthiest Presidents. At 5’11” and weighing 250 pounds, he was known affectionately by his nieces and nephews as “Uncle Jumbo.”
(a) Franklin Delano Roosevelt
(b) William Taft
(c) Grover Cleveland
(d) Bill Clinton
14. He was an avid runner and elliptical trainer and was known to run a mile in 7-8 minutes.
(a) Dwight Eisenhower
(b) George W. Bush
(c) Barack Obama
(d) Jimmy Carter
15. The first Chairman of the President’s Council on Fitness Sports and Nutrition later went on to become President of the United States. Who was he?
(a) Harry Truman
(b) James Buchanan
(c) Gerald Ford
(d) Richard Nixon
Answers:
- (b) Dwight Eisenhower
- (d) The seven continents
- (b) Bill Clinton
- (a) Jack LaLanne
- (c) George Washington
- (a) Gerald Ford
- (d) Benjamin Franklin
- (a) Teddy Roosevelt
- (b) Lyndon Johnson
- (c) Mr. America
- (b) John Quincy Adams
- (a) Thomas Jefferson
- (c) Grover Cleveland
- (b) George W. Bush
- (d) Richard Nixon
COACH STACY'S HEALTHY U 