Teddy Roosevelt once said that Jacob A. Riis came nearer than anyone to being "the ideal American." Riis (1849-1914), a photojournalist and reformer, drew national attention to the plight of the inner-city poor through his expose, "How the Other Half Lives." Riis advocated the creation of small playgrounds to provide "breathing spaces" for densely populated urban neighborhoods. His 1898 speech at
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10 Hard courts (outdoor, public) Lights, no backboard
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Riis Park, the largest park in the area, has sledding hills and an ice rink in the winter. It is named after Jacob Riis, the muckraking journalist and social reformer praised by Teddy Roosevelt.
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