Главная ⇒ 📌Texts ⇒ JOHN F. KENNEDY: The Swingingest President Ever

JOHN F. KENNEDY: The Swingingest President Ever

J. F. K., a gifted golfer, didn’t want to be photographed on the links. He was afraid of inheriting Eisenhower’s image, as a man putting his way through is presidency.

An aficionado of Ian Fleming’s spy novels, John F. Kennedy relished keeping secrets almost as much as he enjoyed hearing them. One of Kennedy’s most zealously guarded secrets was his lifelong passion for the game of golf.

During his run for President in 1960, Kennedy did everything possible to keep his fellow Americans from discovering that he not only loved the game but was nearly as good as a club pro. Throughout President Dwight Eisenhower’s two terms, Kennedy had portrayed Ike as the caricature of a detached duffer in chief who cared more about lowering his handicap than improving the lives of ordinary Americans.

If voters learned that J. F. K. was as obsessed as Ike with a game seen as an out-of-reach privilege of the upper class, it would remind them that the Democratic nominee was an ambassador’s son and a product of Choate and Harvard with a trust fund in his hip pocket.

On a spectacular July afternoon in 1960, just a few days before the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, Kennedy himself nearly let his golf secret out of the bag-with a perfectly swung five-iron. Kennedy teed off on the par-3, 15th hole at the sumptuous Cypress Point Golf Club and watched his ball land on the green and roll straight toward the hole for a possible hole in one.

«Go in! Go in!» yelled Paul (Red) Fay, J. F. K.’s playing partner. But Kennedy looked on in terror and thought, I’m watching my promising political career come to an end. The ball stopped just 6 in. shy of the hole, and Kennedy exhaled. «If that ball had gone into that hole,» Kennedy told Fay with a sheepish smile, «in less than an hour the word would be out to the nation that another golfer was trying to get into the White House.»



Диалог врач и пациент на английском с переводом.
Pick the brains of.

Related topics:

  1. Биография Джона Кеннеди на английском языке. Biography of John KennedyOn November 22, 1963, when he was hardly past his first thousand days in office, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was killed by an assassin’s bullets as his motorcade wound through Dallas, Texas. Kennedy was the youngest man elected President; he was the youngest to die. Of Irish descent, he was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on May ... Читать далее...
  2. A man was playing a game of golfA man was playing a game of golf, and on hole 16, he hit the ball right into a field of buttercups. As honest a golfer as he normally was, he picked up the ball and laid it next to the flowerbed to avoid destroying the beautiful buttercups. A fairy comes down and says «thank ... Читать далее...
  3. When the old golfer died, Peter met him at the gates of heavenWhen the old golfer died, Peter met him at the gates of heaven. «Sorry, old man,» Peter said, «But I can’t let you in. You see the big book here says you committed one unpardonable sin back in 1978 — You took the Lord’s name in vain during a golf game.» «Oh, yes. I’ll never ... Читать далее...
  4. I just did all of thatAfter a particularly poor game of golf, a popular club member skipped the clubhouse and started to go home. As he was walking to the parking lot to get his car, a policeman stopped him and asked, «Did you tee off on the sixteenth hole about twenty minutes ago?» «Yes,» the golfer responded. «Did you ... Читать далее...
  5. Incredible golf ballA golfer, playing a round by himself, is about to tee off, and a greasy little salesman runs up to him, and yells, «Wait! Before you tee off, I have something really amazing to show you!» The golfer, annoyed, says, «What is it?» «It’s a special golf ball,» says the salesman. «You can never lose ... Читать далее...
  6. GolfA golf course Golf courses have different sizes and shapes. Most of them have 18 holes that are between a hundred and 500 metres long. If you have finished playing all 18 holes you have played a round of golf. Each hole has a starting place, called a tee. This is a small area from ... Читать далее...
  7. John F. Kennedy — Джон Ф. КеннедиJohn F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy became the 35th President of the United States. The youngest ever elected to the presidency and the first of the Roman Catholic faith, John F. Kennedy won the election of November 1960, but later, he received the support of most Americans. They admired his personality, his lively family, his ... Читать далее...
  8. Heated passionsMike and Keith are playing golf one hot Sunday afternoon. While approaching the sixteenth hole, they notice an old golfer teeing up by himself. The two friends stop and wait for the older golfer to finish his hole. After the old man drives the ball a considerable distance down the fairway, he collapses on the ... Читать далее...
  9. Once the club duffer challenged the local golf proOnce the club duffer challenged the local golf pro to a match, with a $100 bet on the side. «But,» said the duffer, «since you’re obviously much better than I, to even it a bit you have to spot me two’gotchas’.» The golf pro didn’t know what a ‘gotcha’ was, but he went along with ... Читать далее...
  10. MICHAEL KENNEDYWhat’s the difference between John Denver and Michael Kennedy? John Denver made it alive out of Aspen. Has Elton John re-written any of his songs for Michael Kennedy? Not yet, but he’s done one about the tree: «I’m Still Standing» How can you be sure that Michael was really a Kennedy? Check the family tree. ... Читать далее...
  11. A golfer hit his drive on the first holeA golfer hit his drive on the first hole 300 yards right down the middle. When it came down, however, it hit a sprinkler and the ball went sideways into the woods. He was angry, but he went into the woods and hit a very hard 2 iron which hit a tree and bounced back ... Читать далее...
  12. Definite laws of golfLAW 1: No matter how bad your last shot was, the worst is yet to come. This law does not expire on the 18th hole, since it has the supernatural tendency to extend over the course of a tournament, a summer and, eventually, a lifetime. LAW 2: Your best round of golf will be followed ... Читать далее...
  13. A difficult golf gameRobert goes golfing every Saturday. One Saturday, he comes home three hours late. His wife asks him, «What took you so long?» The guy says, «That was the worst game of golf I’ve ever had. We got up to the first tee, and Charlie hit a hole-in-one and immediately dropped dead of a heart attack.» ... Читать далее...
  14. Buying some golf ballsA blonde golfer goes into the pro shop and looks around frowning. Finally the pro askes her what she wants. «I can’t find any green golf balls,» the blonde golfer complains. The pro looks all over the shop, and through all the catalogs, and finally calls the manufacturers and determines that sure enough, there are ... Читать далее...
  15. Значение идиомы in the hole[in the hole] {adv.} or {adj. phr.}, {informal} 1a. Having a scorelower than zero in a game, especially a card game; to a score belowzero. John went three points in the hole on the first hand of thecard game. 1b. Behind an opponent; in difficulty in a sport or game. We had their pitcher in ... Читать далее...
  16. Значение идиомы hole out[hole out] {v.} To finish play in golf by hitting the ball into thecup. The other players waited for Palmer to hole out before theyputted....
  17. The golf courseA man playing on a new golf course got confused as to what hole he was on. He saw a lady playing ahead of him. He walked up to her and asked if she knew what hole he was playing. She replied, «I’m on the 7th hole, and you’re a hole behind me, so you ... Читать далее...
  18. Значение идиомы sand trap[sand trap] {n.} A low place on a golf course that is filled withsand to stop the ball. The golfer lost four strokes trying to getthe ball out of the sand trap....
  19. Значение идиомы tee up[tee up] {v.} To set the golf ball on the tee in preparation forhitting it toward the green. Arnold Palmer teed the ball up for thefinal hole....
  20. Перевод слова presidentPresident — президент Перевод слова Campaign for the president — кампания кандидата в президенты a consultant to the President on foreign policy — советник президента по внешней политике acting president — временно исполняющий обязанности президента incoming president — вновь избранный президент The President declared war. Президент объявил войну. He could end up as President. Oн ... Читать далее...
  21. Значение идиомы tee off[tee off] {v.} 1. To hit the golf ball from a small wooden peg ortee to begin play for each hole. We got to the golf course just intime to see the champion tee off. 2. {slang} To hit a ball, especially a baseball very hard or far. He teed off on the firstpitch. 3. ... Читать далее...
  22. A husband and wife were out playing golfA husband and wife were out playing golf. They tee off and one drive goes to the right and one drive goes to the left. The wife finds her ball in a patch of buttercups. She grabs a club and takes a mighty swing at the ball. She hits a beautiful second shot, but in ... Читать далее...
  23. Значение идиомы out of the hole[out of the hole] {adv.} or {adj. phr.}, {informal} 1a. With ascore better than zero in a game; especially a card game, to a scoreabove zero. It took us a long time to get out of the hole in thecard game. 1b. Even with an opponent after being behind; out oftrouble in a sport or ... Читать далее...
  24. President Clinton and his wife are at the first baseball gamePresident Clinton and his wife are at the first baseball game of the season. At the start of the game the pitcher comes up in the stands and whispers something in Clinton’s ear. All of a sudden Clinton looks at Hillary and yells, «Okay, Hillary, GET OUT!». She looks surprised but leaves. The pitcher looks ... Читать далее...
  25. Golf in the BedroomGolf in the Bedroom Rules of Play Each player shall provide his own equipment — normally one club and two balls. Play on a course must be approved by the owner of the hole. Unlike outdoor golf, the object is to get the club in the hole and keep the balls out of the hole. ... Читать далее...
  26. Значение идиомы ace in the hole[ace in the hole] {n. phr.} 1. An ace given to a player face down so that other players in a card game cannot see it. When the cowboy bet all his money in the poker game he did not know that the gambler had an ace in the hole and would win it from ... Читать далее...
  27. A wife begins to get a little worried becauseA wife begins to get a little worried because her husband has not arrived home on time from his regular Saturday afternoon golf game. As the hours pass she becomes more and more concerned until at 8 p. m. the husband finally pulls into the driveway. «What happened?» says the wife. «You should have been ... Читать далее...
  28. President precedentDifference Between a Bad *President* and a Bad *Precedent* … BAD *PRECEDENT: Tipper: «How does it feel to be the big man, Hon?» Al: «Well Tip, it took 17 lawsuits and 18 months of election recounts, but I’d do it all again.» … BAD *PRESIDENT: Mr. Bush, repeat after me. I do solemnly swear — ... Читать далее...
  29. This guy unexpectedly got the day off and decidedThis guy unexpectedly got the day off and decided he would spend it on the golf course. After arriving at the club house, he was told that the only way he could play today was if he was willing to play along with three nuns. He agreed and set off with the nuns in tow. ... Читать далее...
  30. Main Vice PresidentTom was so excited about his promotion to Vice President of the company he worked for and kept bragging about it to his wife for weeks on end. Finally she couldn’t take it any longer, and told him, «Listen, it means nothing, they even have a vice president of peas at the grocery store!». «Really?» ... Читать далее...
  31. Golf lessonsA husband and wife love to golf together, but neither of them are playing like they want to, so they decide to take private lessons. The husband has his lesson first. After the pro sees his swing, he says, «No no, no, you’re gripping the club way too hard!» «Well, what should I do?» asks ... Читать далее...
  32. In light of the latest allegations against President ClintonIn light of the latest allegations against President Clinton, Woodward and Bernstein of Watergate fame are in negotiations with publishers to write a new book about the scandal. Working title: «All the President’s Women.»...
  33. A plane was taking off from Kennedy AirportA plane was taking off from Kennedy Airport. After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, «Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from New York to Los Angeles. The weather ahead is good and therefore we should have a smooth ... Читать далее...
  34. Jerry Falwell was seated next to President ClintonJerry Falwell was seated next to President Clinton on a recent flight. After the plane was airborne, the flight attendant came around for drink orders. The President asked for a whisky & soda, which was brought and placed before him. The attendant then asked the minister if he would also like drink. The minister replied ... Читать далее...
  35. Значение идиомы play ball[play ball] {v. phr.} 1. To begin play in a ball game. When theumpire calls «Play ball,» the game begins. 2. {informal} To join inan effort with others; cooperate. To get along during Prohibition, many men felt that they had to play ball with gangsters. A isoften good business to play ball with a political ... Читать далее...
  36. Значение идиомы hole in one[hole in one] {n. phr.} A shot in golf that is hit from the tee andgoes right into the cup. Many golfers play for years before theyget a hole in one....
  37. President Clinton, returning from a campaign stopPresident Clinton, returning from a campaign stop in Arkansas, is climbing the steps to board Air Force One. Under each arm he is carrying a souvenir of his trip — a live razorback. At the top of the jetway, he is met by the guard, a Marine sergeant, who issues a crisp salute. «I’d salute ... Читать далее...
  38. The ReverendFrancis Norton woke up Sunday morning and realizing it was an exceptionally beautiful and sunny early spring day, decided he just had to play golf. So… he told the Associate Pastor that he was feeling sick and convinced him to say Mass for him that day. As soon as the Associate Pastor left the room, ... Читать далее...
  39. The company president called the chief security guardThe company president called the chief security guard into his office. «Chuck, we’ve received a complaint from one of the employees that you are making obscene sexual comments and putting your hands where they don’t belong. These unwanted advances will have to stop.» Chuck looked down at his feet and mumbled, «I’m sorry, Sir. I ... Читать далее...
  40. Значение идиомы behind the eight-ball[behind the eight-ball] {adj. phr.}, {slang} In a difficult position; in trouble. Mr. Thompson is an older man, and when he lost his job, he found he was behind the eight-ball. Bill can’t dance and has no car, so he is behind the eight-ball with the girls. Compare: HAVE TWO STRIKES AGAINST ONE, IN A ... Читать далее...

JOHN F. KENNEDY: The Swingingest President Ever