Third-String Rummy: Donald Rumsfeld at Princeton

Behold former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in his 1954 yearbook photo at Princeton, the year the Ivy League Look and “Princeton haircut” were to become household names across America. Rumsfeld had been third-string quarterback his freshman year. He certainly looks more like a football player in the photo above than how we thought of him during his Defense Secretary years, looking like a third-string supervillain plotting world domination in one of the lesser Bond movies. — CC

16 Comments on "Third-String Rummy: Donald Rumsfeld at Princeton"

  1. he is quite attractive in this picture; the tweed is rather flattering.

  2. The club collar, pin and herringbone…those are some things he is getting right. Here’s to Donald, as he was.

  3. Looks exactly like one of those frat-rat hoods who unfortunately made many civilized men want to avoid wearing Ivy/Trad clothing.

  4. I didn’t realize Ivy Style had a political bent.

  5. he is not being political at all….how ridiculous. You must also know that Rumsfeld was on the Princeton wrestling team. I’ve seen photos

  6. The Princeton man was simply excellent in executing the duties of the office. Removing the Butcher of Baghdad with minimal US casualties will be remembered as a great military accomplishment.

    His performance was far superior to that of the Harvard simpleton, Elliot Richardson, or the Yalie, Leslie Aspin, Jr. The worst performance might have been the Cal Berkeley and Harvard man, Robert McNamara. Perhaps Rumsfeld’s years in the ROTC helped in his later performance. The attention to detail is evident in his dress as shown in the picture.

  7. Regardless of political affiliation, I think we can all agree he has the same smug look he carried with him into public office. One can easily picture this Ivy Leaguer growing into the man that would proclaim “We know where they [the WMDs] are. They’re in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south and north somewhat.”

  8. “third-string supervillain”?

    Just discovered this Website about 15 minutes ago via Twitter. I was wondering how long it would be before I’d be hit with the first liberal “tell.”

  9. A man sees what he wants to see.

  10. Wow…I had no idea how VERY HOT Donald Rumsfeld was in his college days! He must have been pretty sought after with the ladies during his time as a Naval Aviator 😉

  11. A tad disappointed that, as we celebrate another year of Ivy Style, we can’t recall a piece–not even a series of pictures–on another Princeton Tiger, James Baker III. As in the former Secretary of State, and, before that, Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Treasury. Chris Matthews noted Baker’s “WASPy” style/sensibility in D.C. throughout the 80s and 90s, when it was, shall we say, no longer something to be expected among public servants.

    He was a walking Ralph Lauren ad–but the real deal. He spoke rarely and, when he did, in clipped, three-second declaratives. One moment, elegantly-but-not-overly dressed in his Norman Hilton 3-buttonsack suits, button-down shirts, and Alden tassels; the next week, tweedy and crew-necked at the Bush’s summer home in Maine; the next week, ready for a full day of Wyoming fly-casting in his old khakis, chambray “work shirt,” Stetson hat, and mouthful of Red Man chewing tobacco. Hill School alum, Princeton Cum Laude, and a decorated Marine.

    In other words: the sort of guy who kept traditional men’s stores in business throughout the Heyday and post-Heyday. No wonder so many of them shuttered (or sold to Japanese businessmen) throughout the late 80s and 90s– men like Baker no longer needed to buy clothes.

  12. He was most known in his school days for his wrestling prowess, which as anyone who is familiar with the sport can attest, requires focus, tenacity, smarts, and just being a little bit off…

  13. Charlottesville | July 9, 2019 at 11:00 am |

    I love the pinned club collar. Wore one myself to dinner this past weekend.

    S.E. – Thanks for the reminder of James Baker’s quiet, classic style. In keeping with the recent tennis posts, here is a picture of Baker and Bush, properly attired for the game:
    https://www.texastennismuseum.org/baker .

  14. VernTrotter | July 20, 2019 at 2:03 pm |

    Also George Shultz, Princeton grad before WW2, served in four cabinets and famous for a tiger tattoo on his butt. Was there with Rumsfield and Baker.

    Few know that Princeton was known as the College of New Jersey until 1896.

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