Arizona republican., 1894-11-01
PRESIDENTS AT PLAY.
Outdoor Sports in Which They
 Have Found Recreation.
Some of the Favorite Pastimes ot the Great Men Who Have Ruled the Nation from George Washing
 ton to Grover Cleveland.

his summer home on Buzzard's bay he takes few short fishing trips, but beyond that he indulges in no sports. It is when he is living in Washington that he goes on his more important shooting or fishing expeditions. He usually does his gunning on the shores of the Potomac river and Chesapeake bay. He likes duck shooting. His trips sometimes last week, and dur ing part of that time he may be inac- cessible by mail or telegraph.
 His hunting ground is substantially the same that Benjamin Harrison used, and constitutes what may be termed the great presidential game preserve. It lies south of Washington, and takes in the Potomac river and Chesapeake bay to the sea. The game includes wild duck (among which are canvas backs), quail, pheasants and snipe, and occasionally wild turkeys. If president is a true fisherman and will fish only with the rod and reel he may go upon the outskirts of the pres idential preserve and find streams where trout are tolerably numerous.
 From the beginning of the govern ment, says the New York Sun, presi- dents have used these grounds for their exploits with rod and gun. Gen. Washington, living at Mount Vernon, knew every inch of the land for miles up and down the river. In his younger days he was thorough sportsman, but after he became president there is no record of his shooting or fishing.
 President Harrison's first experience in the preserve was when he distin- guished himself by shooting negro's pig under the impression that he was firing at raccoon. He offered to pay for the animal, but the owner consid- cred that the accident was a compli- ment to him and declined to accept remuneration. President Harrison aft erward proved that he was a good shot, He could undergo unusual fatigue and hardship, and even shot ducks from a sink box, which, as every sportsman knows, is very uncomfort- able thing to do. He never rode horse back, and for field sports he had no taste whatever.
 When President Cleveland goes to swimming, although some of his prede- cessors have been very tolerable swim mers. John Quincy Adams, next to Benjamin Franklin, was the greatest of swimmers among public men. In winter, when he was president, he Pennsylvania avenue and around by the capitol every morning before day light, returning to the white house just as the day was dawning. In sum mer his walk was in the opposite di- rection. Going up above Georgetown he would there undress and plunge into the Potomac TOT SWIM.
 A president when he indulges in recreation must take it quickly, for he is seldom so situated that he can have a prolonged vacation. President Ar thur was about the last president who took a complete vacation. One summer he and Gen. Phil Sheridan went out to the Yellowstone region. They camped out, hunted and fshed, and were often a hundred miles from civilization. This was his only prolonged vacation. He was, however, very fond of taking short fishing trips. He handled his rod well and loved angling for bass and trout Among fishing presidents he ranks first. When he was on one of his official trips in the south a fishing club al Louisville presented him with beauti ful rod with a German silver reel, on which were engraved Izaak Walton's famous words about his love for all good fishermen as a gentle, kindly race of men. It is doubtful whether he eve1 received gift that pleased him more than this.
 His predecessor, Garfield, could shoot tolerably, but never fshed. Gen. Gar field was a boy in his love of other sports. For some years the old nation. al baseball club boasted of him as one of its honorary members. He was q constant attendant at the games and knew the players personally, and he used to play himself sometimes wher he was on the farm at Mentor. He was billiard player also, and when he came into the white house the billiard room in the basement, which had fallen into neglect and had not beer used for several administrations, was renovated and a new table was put in
 All the earlier presidents were horse
 back riders. Horseback riding afforded an easier way of travelling than stage coach. for the roads were almost uni
 versally bad and the coaches were
 built without much regard to the pas
 sengers' comfort. Washington was un