Did you know that Babe Ruth once was criticized because his salary was higher than President Hoover's? His answer to the criticism was, "I had a better year than he did".
Stuff like this has gone on forever, Larry. Human nature doesn't change. The difference was, sports writers were part of the biggest old boys club going and they had a gentleman's agreement with baseball to keep the dirty laundry in the hamper.
The same was true of the press in general. FDR had a mistress, Ike had a mistress, and JFK had a whole stable. No one ever knew it then--it was all swept under the rug. Instead, you got those front page photos of JFK walking out of St. Xavier's church in Hyannis, missal in one hand, Jackie's hand in the other.