by 1970, the average American male was nearly 3 inches taller than his counterpart in 1860, not 1.

The funny thing is that my mistake comes from half-remembering a reading of some work by Robert Steckel, who compiled the numbers you link to. What I recalled was that Steckel suggested that the average Revolutionary soldier was about half an inch shorter than the male today (the 18th century to 1970 numbers here have a somewhat larger gap, 1.6-1.8 inches; no idea what that means). But I didn't remember the mid-19th century trough (more relevant for Lincoln) and just projected 200 years of smooth sailing.

The average native born white American male is today only something like an inch taller than he was in 1776.

Source?

That would be "Sexy Lizard," apparently.

I didn't hear this, but I'm sure this was a reading of "Cary Grant's Suit" by Todd McEwen, originally published in Granta in 2006. It's great.

Yes, now that you mention it, I think a reference was made to something like that. NBNW was presented as the adventure of Cary Grant's suit. Tres drole.

As for that link referenced in post 101, I don't see where it is stated at the website what the figures are based on. Not that I'm disputing their findings. I've read a number of times about such figures, and it makes sense, but still...how do you figure out how tall males were in 1800? For modern times, it's easy to conceive of possible sources but a 100-200 years ago? Would it be military records?

...how do you figure out how tall males were in 1800?

You walk into Monticello and notice that the doorknobs are just above mid-thigh and all the beds are short . . . you may need to duck to enter some doorways, etc. We have 200-year old clothes, shoes, sandles, tools, etc. Oh, and skeletons.

http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/04/05/040405fa_fact

As noted, J.C. Watts was a tremendous football player, some OU fans would argue the best wishbone QB at OU (between 1971-1988), I'd say Jamelle Holieway.

In terms of IDing Secret Service Agents in the photo, while the protection detail of all protectees was dramatically overhauled following 11/22/63, you would be quite surprised at how many agents, and how inconspicuous they appear at events where the Protectee is present, I say this as the son of a retired agent. Of course, countless local, and state resources are also devoted to a public appearance, it isn't just guys in suits, shades and earpieces within arms reach.

You walk into Monticello [etc]

I've no doubt that we're taller. I was wondering what data that link had, and how they interpreted it, to get to such exact numbers. None of that seems explained. I mean, in 1710 the male height averaged 171.5 centimeters and in 1720 it was 171.8? That's cutting it all pretty damn fine.

But, I'm suitably impressed if indeed there is data that can be interpreted by a rigorous methodology that yields those results. Not to mention things like accounting for generational tastes, personal and societal custom (fashion, fads), like with those pants that takes into account taste and style, not to mention making inferences from as to both knee breeches and modern style "slacks" taking that into account. And there's this wholesale digging up of graves in the U.S. Wow. And the capactity to be so precise is all at that site linked in 101? Where?

Moving to the question of most athletic congressmen in history: Bill Bradley, Jim Bunning, the late Jack Kemp and Steve Largent all come to mind.

Jim Ryun served five terms in Congress, too.