# Dr. Seuss: Was he a cripple? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 23, 1999, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-was-he-a-cripple/7115 "1999-08-23T22:33:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 1999, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-was-he-a-cripple/7115/1 "1999-08-23T22:33:00Z")
When I was a kid our teachers introduced us to the books of Theodor Seuss Geisel, or “Dr. Seuss.” One teacher–who should have known better–told us Dr. Seuss had to write with his feet, or hold the pen/brush/pencil between his teeth. (!!) This sounds like another Urban Legend (does Jan Harold Brunvand have a website?)! Who originated this inane notion?? ---
**Author:** ![Guy\_Propski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5e9695/32.png) [@Guy\_Propski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guy_Propski)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 1999, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-was-he-a-cripple/7115/2 "1999-08-24T15:14:00Z")
I don’t know who started it, but it’s false. I’ve seen photos of Dr. Geisel holding objects and standing up. Maybe your teacher was confusing Dr. Seuss with Christy (“My Left Foot”) Brown. ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 1999, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-was-he-a-cripple/7115/3 "1999-08-24T15:41:00Z")
I do not know if he could walk, I do not know if he could talk. Would it matter if he could? Or if one leg was made of wood? From there to here, from here to there, As kids we didn’t fret or care. He dealt with issues large and small, and made us smile, one and all. A new collection is in the stores, Called “Dr. Seuss goes to War.” From here to there, from there to here, Dr. Seuss gives us cause to cheer. Did he limp, was he a gimp? “McMonkey McBean” he named a chimp. “Green Eggs and Ham”, Thing One, Thing Two, I think he would have laughed at you. From there to here, from here to there, Untrue rumors are everywhere! – with my apologies. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 1999, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-was-he-a-cripple/7115/4 "1999-08-24T15:50:00Z")
Beautiful…loved it!! * * * An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; A pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 1999, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-was-he-a-cripple/7115/5 "1999-08-25T05:44:00Z")
ChiefScott, you sir, get a Gold Star. I do know that Dr. Suess was at Cornell at about the same time as Kurt Vonnegut. Imagine those two at a kegger together. Woo Hoo! * * * “Owls will deafen us with their incessant hooting!” W. Smithers ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 1999, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-was-he-a-cripple/7115/6 "1999-08-24T20:11:00Z")
Thanks, Chief Scott. 🙂 I don’t know how my teacher got that notion. You mimicked Geisel’s poetic style perfectly. I wish more people these days had that ability. ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 1999, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-was-he-a-cripple/7115/7 "1999-08-25T13:24:00Z")
I must thank Frank. Frank I do thank. But, my pitiful copy did stank! My Pop read us many, many fine books, But the ones with Seuss’s crazies and kooks, were always my favoites, my kid brother’s too, I’m just pleased, Frank, I could share them with you. But I don’t need any kudos or stars, I’ll join the “Sneetches with nothing on thars.”