Monday, October 15, 2012

100 Years Ago Yesterday

This day in history:

Minutes before giving a speech on a campaign stop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Theodore Roosevelt is shot in an assassination attempt.

The would-be assassin’s bullet is slowed down after travelling through a steel eyeglass case and the folded, fifty page speech he intended to give, stopping in his chest. Realizing that he wasn’t coughing up blood, Roosevelt figured he was well enough to go ahead and deliver his speech rather than rush to the hospital.



He spoke for the next 90 minutes, opening with the words:

Ladies and gentlemen, I don’t know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot; but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose.”


Doctors deemed it too risky to remove the bullet, and Roosevelt carried it with him inside his body for the rest of his life. Balls as big as churchbells.

October 14, 1912 - 100 years ago today

7 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

That's a great story.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

The only way it would be better is if he had caught the bullet in his teeth and spat it on the ground while saying "Bully!"

Kal said...

Well in MY stories he does.

47th Problem of Euclid said...

How did he lose the election after that? I can't fathom it.

Kal said...

Uninformed electorate as usual.

Mike D. said...

Thats when it started. Its going to take a heckuva guy these days to over come the B.S.ocracy we call the American political system.
Nobody cares about the people anymore. Not like Ted did...we'll never get a square deal again.

david_b said...

Hey, THAT'S MY TOWN, gents.. lol.

Interesting story.