Superbowl Sunday Presidential Trivia Did you know that Gerald R. Ford received offers from two professional football teams, the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers?   He chose instead to take a position as boxing coach and assistant varsity football coach at Yale hoping to attend law school there. In his youth, Jerry earned “All-City” and “All-State” honors at South High School in Grand Rapids before joining the team at the University of Michigan as a center. Ford won the Meyer Morton Trophy, awarded to the outstanding freshman player in spring practice, in his first year as a Wolverine. He made the varsity squad the next year and in 1934 he got the starting position. Although he had high hopes for his senior year since the team won the national championship in both 1932 and 1933, injuries hit the offense and the defense struggled. “We lost seven of our eight ball games,” Ford later reflected on his final season at Michigan. “But what really hurt was that my teammates, after the end of the season, voted me the most valuable player. I didn’t know whether to smile or sue.” (ARC Identifier 186975) -from the Ford Library
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Superbowl Sunday Presidential Trivia

Did you know that Gerald R. Ford received offers from two professional football teams, the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers?

 
He chose instead to take a position as boxing coach and assistant varsity football coach at Yale hoping to attend law school there.

In his youth, Jerry earned “All-City” and “All-State” honors at South High School in Grand Rapids before joining the team at the University of Michigan as a center.

Ford won the Meyer Morton Trophy, awarded to the outstanding freshman player in spring practice, in his first year as a Wolverine. He made the varsity squad the next year and in 1934 he got the starting position.

Although he had high hopes for his senior year since the team won the national championship in both 1932 and 1933, injuries hit the offense and the defense struggled. “We lost seven of our eight ball games,” Ford later reflected on his final season at Michigan. “But what really hurt was that my teammates, after the end of the season, voted me the most valuable player. I didn’t know whether to smile or sue.”

(ARC Identifier 186975)

-from the Ford Library

Nominate Him for Vice President Campaign flyer supporting Gerald R. Ford as a favorite son of Michigan and candidate for Vice President during the 1960 Republican Convention.  7/60.
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Nominate Him for Vice President

Campaign flyer supporting Gerald R. Ford as a favorite son of Michigan and candidate for Vice President during the 1960 Republican Convention.  7/60.

Source: presidentialtimeline.org

Before They Were Presidents Gerald R. Ford’s Law School Application to the University of Michigan.  May 26, 1937.
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Before They Were Presidents

Gerald R. Ford’s Law School Application to the University of Michigan.  May 26, 1937.

Source: presidentialtimeline.org

Meanwhile, somewhere in Michigan… First Lady Betty Ford dancing aboard President Gerald Ford’s Whistlestop Campaign Train Trip. 05/15/197. White House Trivia: Did you know that Betty Ford was a Martha Graham dancer in her youth?
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Meanwhile, somewhere in Michigan…

First Lady Betty Ford dancing aboard President Gerald Ford’s Whistlestop Campaign Train Trip. 05/15/197.

White House Trivia: Did you know that Betty Ford was a Martha Graham dancer in her youth?

Source: research.archives.gov

Presidential Preference Primary Ballots, Michigan 1920

-from the Hoover Library

Before he was POTUS, Gerald R. Ford was an Eagle Scout in Michigan.  Here, Jerry holds a flag with other members of the Eagle Scout Guard of Honor at Fort Mackinac, Michigan.  8/1929. More - Young Jerry Ford Happy anniversary to the Boy Scouts.
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Before he was POTUS, Gerald R. Ford was an Eagle Scout in Michigan.  Here, Jerry holds a flag with other members of the Eagle Scout Guard of Honor at Fort Mackinac, Michigan.  8/1929.

More - Young Jerry Ford

Happy anniversary to the Boy Scouts.

Source: research.archives.gov

The Great Lakes State Thanksgiving President Ford was presented with a Thanksgiving turkey by the National Turkey Federation on November 20, 1975.  This was the 30th consecutive year that the Federation presented a turkey to the President.  The turkey was presented by Marvin DeWitt of Zeeland, Michigan.  According the White House memo, it was the first time that the President, the turkey, and the presenter were all from the same state.  Go Michigan! President Ford’s Daily Diary for that day. -From the Ford Library, Photo ID LP-GRF-A7387-15
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The Great Lakes State Thanksgiving

President Ford was presented with a Thanksgiving turkey by the National Turkey Federation on November 20, 1975.  This was the 30th consecutive year that the Federation presented a turkey to the President.  The turkey was presented by Marvin DeWitt of Zeeland, Michigan. 

According the White House memo, it was the first time that the President, the turkey, and the presenter were all from the same state.  Go Michigan!

President Ford’s Daily Diary for that day.

-From the Ford Library, Photo ID LP-GRF-A7387-15

Source: fordlibrarymuseum.gov