Remembering Gerald Ford

Today is the official day to observe the passing of 38th President Gerald R. Ford. He is known as the accidental president who pardoned Nixon, donned super-wide neckties, and was parodied frequently on SNL by Chevy Chase. But, what few people know is that Gerald Ford was also an avid swimmer who put in a beautiful Venetian-style swimming pool in the White House in 1975. The first swimming pool built at the White House was completed in 1933 by FDR. But, in 1969, Nixon had the pool filled in to turn it into a press briefing area. In a shrewd move good 'ol Gerry put the pool back in, showing Tricky Dick what he was really made of. David Hume Kennerly took the above photograph of Ford doing the backstroke on July 1, 1975.