A Tennis-Court Calendar Became a Presidential Decision
At the White House, even recreation involved a shared resource: the tennis court could be used by only one group at a time. Carter personally approved who played and when, turning an ordinary scheduling task into a decision that passed through the president himself.
That detail points to a hands-on approach to management. Instead of leaving a small logistical choice entirely to staff, Carter retained a say over access and timing. The court calendar was modest in consequence, but it made the chain of authority visible: people seeking a slot had to account for the president’s own decision.
The Cost of Managing at Close Range
Centralizing decisions can give a leader direct control, but it also draws attention and time toward matters that could otherwise be delegated. A calendar entry is not a major policy question; it is precisely the kind of routine task that reveals how far a manager’s involvement extends.
The episode is memorable because the setting was so ordinary. Presidential authority reached not only the formal business of governing, but also the practical question of who got to play tennis—and when.
