What did Mr. Lincoln enjoy doing?

[LincolnMan]

What were his hobbies? What truly interested him? If I had to create a list of activities that Lincoln enjoyed participating in-what would be on the list?

[Craig Hipkins]

Bill,
Lincoln was an avid reader. He thoroughly enjoyed reading the latest newspapers. He also collected witty anecdotes that he would share with people.

Craig

[Gene C]

He enjoyed Shakespeare, poetry, and story telling.

[Rob Wick]

Some say that Lincoln liked playing handball, and that he was actually playing it behind his office when he was informed of the Republican presidential nomination.

Best
Rob

[LincolnMan]

Rob: didn't know he was playing handball at that most important moment. Nice fun-fact. I remember playing handball as a kid. In fact, "back in the day" there were local handball courts. I don't think they exist anymore.

[RJNorton]

Lincoln was definitely into the game. From The Real Lincoln: A Portrait by Jesse W. Weik:

"On a vacant lot south of the building which housed the office of the "Springfield Journal," John Carmody had leveled and smoothed the surface of the ground and maintained there a ball alley a place where the lawyers sought amusement and exercise by playing at "fives" a game in which the contestants would throw a ball against a brick wall and catch it when it rebounded, also known as hand-ball. The game was to keep the ball going. If the player failed to catch it on the rebound, he lost a point, and twenty-one points constituted the game. William Donnelly, a boy employed by Carmody, had charge of the alley, kept the floor in proper condition and collected the fees. Several years ago I visited Donnelly, then living in Springfield, and interviewed him regarding the enterprise. Lincoln, he said, was very fond of the game and was one of the most active and skillful players; his success being due to his agility and large hands, enabling him to catch the ball almost every time. Donnelly reported that during the week of the Chicago Convention Mr. Lincoln was about the place a good deal, indulging freely in the game."

[LincolnMan]

Yes, Lincoln's large hands would have made him king of the handball court!

[L Verge]

Another avid devotee to handball was Dr. Richard Dyer Mudd, the grandson of Dr. Sam, who spent so many years vainly trying to get the government to apologize for the fate of his grandfather. Dr. Dick played every day, I've been told, until he was well into his 90s. He lived to be 101. Judging by the comments about Lincoln's physique at the time of death, handball must be a good thing.

[Donna McCreary]

In a letter to Lincoln written in May 1848, Mary wrote: "Boby in his wandering to day, came across in a yard, a little kitten, your hobby. . ."
While perhaps not a true "hobby," we can assume Lincoln had, at the very least, an interest in cats and a fondness for kittens.

[LincolnMan]

Donna: love it!

[Gene C]

He may have liked cats, but dogs were his favoirite

Fido

[Donna McCreary]

He may have liked cats, but dogs were his favoirite

Fido

I LOVE it!!

[LincolnMan]

School kids ask me frequently about whether or not Lincoln liked animals. So glad he did.

[RJNorton]

Not only did Fido eat the kid's homework, but he also did a job on Booth's diary. Then he ate the card Booth gave to Forbes at Ford's. Still not done, for desert, he ate Powell's statement aboard the Saugus. He considered eating the recommendation for mercy for Mary Surratt but honorably declined so Johnson could see it. He also was looking for a statement by David Herold...

[Gene C]

Not only that, but I am the one realy responsable for tracking down Booth to Garrett's barn....(that's how I got the diary and Davies original statement).....Fido