The Hidden Injury of Theodore Roosevelt

For much of his presidency, Theodore Roosevelt kept a significant secret. He was partially blind in his left eye. This information surfaced only after he left office, revealing that the injury was a result of a boxing match. Unbelievably, this match occurred in the White House.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch from 1917 provides details, albeit with some factual inaccuracies, about the incident. It describes an event in 1905 where Roosevelt suffered the eye injury during a boxing bout. The injury was not publicly acknowledged during his time as president, remaining concealed for many years.