Evening star., 1939-01-25
'BW Mooney Quietly Ends
rs Years in Postal Service
Ex-Postmoster Began
Rapid Rise After
FIottening Teddy
BY JOHN j. DAILY.

William Mckinley Mooney, who
holds the record for length of service
in the postmastership of Washing
ton-14 years postmaster under four
Presidents, from Coolidge to Roose-
velt-completed his 45th year in
the postal service not long ago by
retiring without even a public notice
of his departure from office. He
wanted to go out like he came in.
quietly and without a fanfare of
trumpets.
Yet, it is recorded in the public
prints that Bill" Mooney, as he Is
called by men Of prominence the
Nation over, got his first real start
in the postal service by knocking a
President of the United States fiat
on his back in the White House
probably the only man in the world
who ever socked President of the
United States and wasn't pounced
upon by the Secret Service.
Theodore Roosevelt was the Pres
ident. At the time, Mr. Mooney was
the amateur champion middleweight
DoHSA Va VIC olllVCo OldlCS.
If you ask him today how it all
came about, he chuckles:
Recalls Incident.
"Well, sir, Teddy Roosevelt had one
big hobby-athleticS He had been
puny boy. Some one told him the
way to become strong was to take
up boxing. At that time, E. Won
Lindgren of the Swedish Legation
had established an amateur boxing
record similar to the professional one
made about the same time by Jim
Jeftries. While Lindgren refused to
meet professionals, his friends be-
lleved there wasn't a man in the
world who could down him. The
run OF amateurs sidestepped Lind
gren. Then I offered myself as a
human sacrifice to native pride.
When the bout came off, the elite of
Washington were out to witness Il.
High officials of Government and
foreign ambassadors and ministers
were there to see the fight. Teddy
Roosevelt, then a member of the
Civil Service Commission, was pres
ent. Later, when he became Presi-
dent of the United States, nv
brother Roberta newspaperman-
took me to the White House to see
Teddy.
Soon as I was introduced to him
the President leaped from his chair
and grasped my hand. 'Ah! The
chap who defeated Won Lindgren.
BY George, you are the very man
I want to see. Come, my boy, show
me how you did it,"
Young Bill Mooney blushed:
That's a little hard to explain, Mr..
President"
Wanted to Be Shown.
Don't try to explain said the
President. Show me-
With that the President of the
United States shed his coat, leaped
to the middle of the room and as
sumed a boxing position. Now"
he challenged, give it to me just
like you did to Won Lindgren!"
Bafled, the young champion went
into action and laid a soft tap on
the presidential chin.
mo, no, that won't do" Teddy
hollered. open up! Hit me hard,
like you did Won Lindgren!"
A command performance. young
Mooney hauled off and sent socker
to the Presidents jaw. Roosevelt,
punch drunk, staggered to the wall
and held on. That's it, that's it,"
he exclaimed, as he recovered and
came back painting into the imagin-
ary ring there in his private Office.
"Now I'll try it on you"
1t was Bill MONEYS turn to go
up against the wall The blow Teddy
Roosevelt had just learned proved to
be haymaker. Mooney came back
and they went at it again, hammer