06/15/2026
Being a history buff I did a search for sporting events/activities held at the White House.
Yes, other presidents have a long history of scheduling and hosting sporting events and activities at the White House. The tradition of welcoming champion sports teams dates back to at least 1865.
Presidents have also actively engaged in sports on the grounds, such as:Baseball: President Andrew Johnson was the first to host organized amateur baseball clubs at the White House in 1865.
Calvin Coolidge officially welcomed the 1924 World Series Champion Washington Senators to the grounds.
Tennis & More: Theodore Roosevelt installed a tennis court in 1902. Herbert Hoover played an active combination of tennis and medicine ball on the lawn, a game that became known as "Hoover-ball". Barack Obama later expanded the White House tennis court striping to double as a basketball court for games with aides.
Golf: Dwight D. Eisenhower had a 3,000-square-foot putting green installed on the South Lawn in 1954.
T-Ball: George W. Bush hosted the White House Tee Ball Game on the South Lawn, inviting Little League teams and children of military personnel.
Ice Rinks: Temporary ice skating rinks for the holidays were built by Jimmy Carter in 1980 and Joe Biden in 2023.
Wrestling: Presidents like Abraham Lincoln and William Howard Taft were celebrated wrestlers.
Combative Sports: Theodore Roosevelt famously boxed in the White House gymnasium with aides and military personnel, though these were informal sparring matches rather than spectator events.
The White House has long been a site for celebrating and engaging in sports. Past presidents have enjoyed playing basketball and tennis, swimming, and bowling, all on White House Grounds,...
