#hyannisport

July 4th, 2016 

JFK grew up in a household devoted to athletic activity. He swam and played golf and football for the junior varsity at Harvard and tried his hand at boxing. 

In later years, he remained an accomplished golfer and, despite chronic back pain, he continued to enjoy football, tennis, and softball with family and friends, and to sail Victura, his 26-foot sloop in the Nantucket Sound. 

As President, JFK challenged the nation to become more active. He challenged the Marines to walk 50 miles in 20 hours, and high school students to earn awards from the President’s Council on Physical Fitness. 

Here’s a clip of JFK playing football at the Kennedy family home in Hyannisport, from home movie footage taken by friend Paul Fay. Video from the JFK Library. 

We’re celebrating the centennial of JFK’s birth throughout 2017 and this month’s #JFK100 theme is “candid photos.”Join us for more JFK100 every week!