Page 38 - Barbecue News June 2020 Issue

18. Ulysses S. Grant, 1869-1877
Historians have called his administration “The Great Barbecue” due to the scandals, corruptions and large amount of public spending created a ‘come and get it’ attitude towards Federal land and contracts. Post-Civil War government corruption which were typical in that era, illegal manipulation of contracts by construc- tion and finance companies.
He could not stand the sight of blood and would not eat meat with any traces of red in it, everything was cooked well done. The “S” in his name was a typographic error on his application to West Point, it did not stand for anything. Some say U.S. Grant stood for “unconditional surrender” because that was the terms, he once offered a defeated enemy. He is credited for giving the perfect speech at a barbecue event he attended, quote “I rise only to say that I do not intend to say anything”. B.Q. Score: 2
19. Rutherford Birchard Hayes, 1877-1881
During his Presidential campaign two 1000 lbs. steers were barbecued in Brooklyn NY. Al- though barbecues were very popular in the south, they were a nov- elty up north. They made a huge charcoal fire with a rotisserie spit and large drip pan to catch the juices. More than 50,000 peo- ple finished the two
tons of BBQ in less than two minutes Oct 20, 1876. He was the first to use a telephone, typewriter, and phonograph in the White House. His wife was nicknamed ‘Lemonade Lucy” due to her stick views on drinking alcohol. But Hayes did love to read and play croquet, and was the first to build a Presidential Library, which houses his official papers and is home to the largest croquet col- lection in the world. Which is something fun to do at a BBQ, even if you just have lemonade to drink. B.Q. Score: 3
20-James Abram Garfield, 1881
He was assassinated only after a few months in office and was one the most promising presidents of that era being focused on civil rights, education, and economic growth. He was the last presi- dent to be born in a log cabin and the first to be left-handed. In fact, he was ambidextrous and could write with both hands at the same time, and in different languages (Greek in one and Latin in the other).
Garfield served during the Civil War as a brigadier general and commanded the 42nd Ohio Infantry at the battles of Shiloh and at Chickamauga. Later as a congressman, Garfield gave the first Memorial Day speech at the Arlington National Cemetery (known as Decoration Day) in 1868. Memorial Day is the traditional start of barbecue season with parades, ceremonies and memorials as the nation sets aside time to honor our fallen warriors. “ For love of country they accepted death, and made immortal their patriot- ism,...What other spot so fitting for their last resting place as this, under the shadow of the Capital saved by their valor,....here let them rest, asleep on the nation’s heart, entombed in the nation’s love” B.Q. Score: 3
BarbecueNews.com - 38
JUNE 2020