The Weirdest Fact About Every American President

Source: Hulton Archive / Getty Images

26. Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)
> Years served as president: 1901-1909
> Political party: Republican
> Weird fact: Every member in Roosevelt’s family owned stilts.

Theodore, or Teddy, Roosevelt had a secret pastime — walking on stilts. Apparently, each and every one of Roosevelt’s family members had their own individual pair. Even the First Lady had a set of her own.

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27. William H. Taft (1857-1930)
> Years served as president: 1909-1913
> Political party: Republican
> Weird fact: Taft lost 80 pounds after his time in office.

William H. Taft is well known as the heaviest president in history, with his peak weight clocking in at some 340 pounds. Whether the rumor of him getting stuck in a bathtub is true or not, something induced him to lose some weight. After his time as president, he lost 80 pounds.

Source: Hulton Archive / Getty Images

28. Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924)
> Years served as president: 1913-1921
> Political party: Democratic
> Weird fact: Wilson painted his golf balls black during the winter.

Woodrow Wilson is often remembered as a staunch advocate for democracy and world peace as well as an academic. He had another passion that perhaps isn’t as well known — golfing. President Wilson loved to golf no matter the season. In the winter months, when layers of snow covered the ground, he painted his golf balls black so that he could easily retrieve them amid a blanket of white.

Source: General Photographic Agency / Getty Images

29. Warren Harding (1865-1923)
> Years served as president: 1921-1923
> Political party: Republican
> Weird fact: Harding had a daughter out of one his many several affairs.

Warren Harding had several extramarital affairs. In one — at least to our knowledge — he impregnated a woman by the name of Nan Britton. Britton had written a book called “The President’s Daughter,” a novel about her daughter being Harding’s offspring. It wasn’t until 2005 that an official DNA test proved Harding was indeed the father.

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

30. Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933)
> Years served as president: 1923-1929
> Political party: Republican
> Weird fact: Coolidge enjoyed having petroleum jelly rubbed on his head.

We thought the fact that Calvin Coolidge had two pet raccoons by the names of Reuben and Rebecca was weird, but then we stumbled upon this gem. Evidently, Coolidge liked to have his scalp massaged with petroleum jelly — which is Vaseline — while he ate his breakfast in bed. Talk about a bizarre morning ritual.