Boy Soldiers.

The President's Council on Youth Fitness (PCYF) was established in 1957 because Eisenhower was shocked to learn that American youth fared miserably in fitness tests when compared to youth in Europe. The council was hastily established so that the government could demonstrate support for preparing its children, especially boys. Vice-president Nixon was the first chairman of the council, but soon this largely symbolic role was given over to sports leaders. Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma's football coach, took over leadership. The PCYF was another way to fight the cold war. Its impact was negligible largely because America was quickly moving toward being a sedentary society and because the focus of the movement fell not on fitness but sports. The PCYF was more intent on moral character than physical fitness, and it was during the 1950s that youth sports, particularly Little League Baseball and...