William Howard Taft | Black Hills & Badlands - South Dakota

William Howard Taft

  • William Howard Taft
Sculptor: 
Lee Leuning and Sherri Treeby

William Howard Taft holds a unique position in American political history. He is the only president who also served on the U.S. Supreme Court. He was America's 27th president as well as the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. He also holds the record for weighing in as the heaviest Commander-in-Chief at 300 pounds. Taft was a very good athlete in his youth, even drafted to play professional baseball. He went to Yale Law School instead, where he won the heavy weight wrestling title. He was the first president to throw out the opening pitch of the major league season. The artist, Lee Leuning, shows him, ever the competitor, shaking off the catcher's sign and preparing to throw the “heater”. http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/williamhowardtaft

Presidential Years: 1909-1913

Directions: 
Corner of Mt Rushmore Rd. & Main St.