Presidential Sports Evolution at the White House
In 2009, President Obama made significant changes to the tennis courts at the White House, adapting them for his personal favorite sport: full-court basketball. Prior to Obama’s renovations, a basketball court had already been established on the grounds under President Bush, who installed a concrete half-court in 1991. This installation was dedicated to the NCAA champions from that year—the Duke Blue Devils and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers.
Unique Sporting Traditions
President Herbert Hoover introduced a unique morning exercise known as “Hooverball,” designed as a prescription from his physician for increased activity. This game, which uses a net similar to those found in volleyball and medicine ball games, was developed by Admiral Joel T. Boone, the White House physician. Hoover recounted in his memoirs how the match involved passing an eight-pound medicine ball over a ten-foot net, played on a court laid out for tennis. He noted that it required less skill than tennis, allowing participants to engage in a faster-paced workout.
The name “Hooverball” was coined by William Atherton Dupuis, a reporter for the New York Times Magazine, in a 1931 article. Hoover’s inspiration for the sport came during a visit to a bullfighting event on the USS Utah in 1928, where he observed the use of medicine balls. Esteemed officials, including Supreme Court Justice Harlan Stone and Attorney General William D. Mitchell, frequently participated in these morning matches, where they would sip fruit juice and coffee post-game.
Presidential Favorites: Horseshoes and Tennis
President George H.W. Bush was known for jogging, swimming, and playing tennis, but he left a lasting impact on the White House with his fondness for horseshoes. In 1989, he had a 40-foot horseshoe pit constructed near the tennis courts. This was not a new addition; President Harry S. Truman had previously installed a horseshoe court in 1946, which was later removed to make space for a putting green under President Eisenhower.
In 1991, during a visit from Queen Elizabeth II, President Bush showcased his horseshoe pitching skills, having received four silver horseshoes as a gift. He also constructed a horseshoe pit at Camp David, where Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev notably made history by scoring the first throw.
Bowling Lanes in the White House
In a nod to leisure, donors from Missouri gifted President Truman two bowling lanes for his 63rd birthday. Initially installed in the West Building, the lanes were later relocated to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Despite having not bowled actively for years, Truman hosted events there, including one for bowling champions from the Veterans Affairs Paraplegic Center in 1947.
President Nixon, a more enthusiastic bowler, added a second one-lane bowling alley in 1973 beneath the White House driveway. Both bowling lanes from the Truman and Nixon administrations remain at their respective locations today.
A Rich History of Swimming
The White House first installed a swimming pool in 1933 for President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who relied on swimming as part of his rehabilitation from polio. Funded by donations through a campaign initiated by the New York Daily News, the indoor pool was eventually converted into a press room in 1970, though Nixon ensured it remained preserved for future use.
President Gerald Ford later constructed the existing outdoor pool, which was unveiled in 1975 on the South Lawn, making it a modern staple of presidential recreation.
Innovative Sports: The Mechanical Horse
Calvin Coolidge was known for his youthful enjoyment of horseback riding. However, due to security concerns, the Secret Service was apprehensive about his horseback riding pursuits. Instead, a friend gifted him a mechanical horse named “Thunderbolt,” invented by George Kellogg. This innovative device is akin to modern mechanical bulls and is preserved at the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum.
Golfing Legacy from Eisenhower to Trump
Golf has been a favored pastime among many presidents, starting with Dwight D. Eisenhower, who established the first putting green on the South Lawn in 1954. This 3,000-square-foot green was built quickly, with Eisenhower expressing his need for practice in a correspondence with the United States Golf Association.
Although Nixon removed the putting green during his presidency, it returned under President Bush in 1991, who installed a nearly 2,000-square-foot green tucked away from public view. President Bill Clinton later relocated this green to its current site in 1995. In a recent interaction in July 2025, professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau visited President Trump to sign the Presidential Physical Fitness Test Order, engaging in some light golfing around the White House’s green. Notably, Trump is an avid golfer with properties boasting golf courses in New Jersey and Virginia.
