Stats and Facts of the New Bush Administration

It’s never too early to absorb trivia about the new President, so here are a few factoids from the 4 1/2-pound inaugural committee media handbook:

--George Bush, age 64 and 6-feet-2 inches tall, will be the fourth-oldest and fourth-tallest President to be sworn in at his first Inauguration, as well as the fourth left-hander. The oldest was Ronald Reagan (69); the tallest, Abraham Lincoln (6 feet, 4 inches). The other southpaws were James Garfield, Harry Truman and Gerald Ford.

--Astrologers take note: Bush will be the first President born in June (June 12, 1924), but John F. Kennedy was also a Gemini, born May 29, 1917. Geminis, born under the sign of the twins, are said to view both sides of every argument, sometimes to their detriment.

--Former Yale baseball team captain Bush will be one of only six Presidents who played varsity sports in college. Reagan, Ford and Dwight Eisenhower played football, Carter ran cross-country and Kennedy was on the swim team.

--The Bushes, who were married Jan. 6, 1945, already have the ninth-longest marriage of all Presidents and First Ladies, and they have a real shot at becoming No. 1 in 1999. Only William Henry Harrison had been married longer, 45 years, at the time of his Inauguration. (But he gave such a long inaugural speech in such cold weather that he caught pneumonia and died a month later.) The all-time marriage record goes to John and Abigail Adams, who were married 54 years and 3 days.