The WWE Hall of... Presidents? 5 Commanders in Chief That Ruled the Squared-Circle

By Jef With One F Mon., Feb. 25 2013 at 6:00 AM

Categories: Random Ephemera

Continued from page 1

Though William H. Taft is famous for being the most obese of presidents, as a wrestler when he was younger he clocked in at a much more normal 250 lbs. Like Washington, he was a collegiate wrestler of the collar and elbow style at Yale. "Big Bill" was also on the rowing team, and commanded fearsome upper body strength to become an intramural heavyweight champion. He followed the sport all his life as an avid fan

Fun Fact: Taft is in the rare company of Shane McMahon and Jean-Jacques Rougeau as a 4th generation wrestler.

As one of America's greatest soldier-presidents, it's no surprise that Dwight D. Eisenhower had a combative edge while attending West Point, where he both boxed and wrestled. He was trained in the brutal catch-as-catch-can style by the legendary American heavyweight champion "Rough Tom" Jenkins. Jenkins was selected as West Point instructor by Theodore Roosevelt, and is considered one of the strongest and most able grapplers of all time.

Fun Fact: Eisenhower wasn't Jenkins' only famous pupil. He also coached George S. Patton and Omar Bradley.

Theodore Roosevelt was known for climbing mountains, riding moose, doing judo, and basically being America's most badass president. Better known for his boxing, Roosevelt was actually superior as a wrestler. He kept detailed records of his many victories at Harvard, and as Governor of New York purchased a mat so that he could grapple with the Middleweight Champion of America three or four afternoons a week.

Fun Fact: "Death had to take him sleeping, for if Roosevelt had been awake there would have been a fight." - Thomas R. Marshall