Tears, Football, Bars and Poison: 5 Things You Didn't Know About John Boehner

John Boehner, Speaker of the House of Representatives and a 13-term Republican congressman from Ohio, said Friday he will be resigning in October.

• Read Patch’s full story here.

His announcement comes a day after Pope Francis addressed Congress. One of Boehner’s personal goals for the past 20 years was to successfully invite a pope to speak in the chambers. Boehner was seen tearing up many times during the pope’s speech.

Boehner has battled for years with the Tea Party faction of his party and more recently has come under fire from those closer to the center. He sensed that battle was causing a rift among Republicans in Congress, and decided to resign, he said in an official statement, “It is my view, however, that prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution. To that end, I will resign the Speakership and my seat in Congress on October 30.”

Here are five things you may not have known about the speaker.

He Comes From Humble Beginnings

Boehner, born in Cincinnati, Ohio, is the second oldest of 12 brothers and sisters. He spent his childhood working at his family tavern, Andy’s Bar, mopping floors and waiting tables. Boehner was the first member of his family to attend college, working several jobs to pay his way through Xavier University, according to his biography page.

He Played Football for a Legendary Coach

When Boehner was attending Cincinnati Moeller High School he played football for Gerry Faust. Faust had a record of 174-17-2 at Moeller and went undefeated seven times before going on to coach Notre Dame from 1981-85.

He’s not Afraid to Cry

Boehner has been getting a lot of attention for tearing up during Pope Francis’ speech at the Capitol, but it wasn’t the first time the speaker had the waterworks going. During statue unveilings, television interviews and even when he was given the speaker’s gavel, Boehner has cried through it all. He’s a tough politician, but an emotional guy and has stated that he is totally comfortable with his tendency to tear up when talking about important issues.

His Bartender Was Charged With Plotting To Poison Him

In January, prosecutors unveiled an alleged plot to kill Boehner. The plotter? His former bartender. Authorities say that bartender Michael Hold had planned to lace the speaker’s drink with poison and then shoot him and drive away. Why? Voices told him Boehner was the devil.

Boehner Has Served in a Leadership Role for Nearly 10 Years

In 2006, Boehner’s Republican colleagues voted to make him the House Majority Leader. In 2010, Boehner was first elected to serve as the house speaker, and re-elected in 2013. During his time in leadership Boehner has pushed for increased accountability and openness in the Congress, requiring bills to be publicly put online before a vote. He also led a ban on secretive “earmark” spending in bills. During his tenure as speaker, the government famously shut down in 2013.