Vintage Muscle Men: New York State Assemblyman

Elected to the New York State Assembly in 1881 at age 23, Theodore Roosevelt quickly made a name for himself by fighting corruption and standing up to weathly financier Jay Gould’s tax evasion. As a delegate to the 1884 Republican Convention, he convinced the body to elect an African-American, John R. Lynch, to be the temporary chairman of the opening session. Unhappy with the eventual nominee (who lost), TR temporarily retired from politics and took up ranching.