Baseball and this president are inseparable

WASHINGTON - Regardless of his job, and no matter the circumstances, one constant in the life of George W. Bush has always been baseball.

And his love of the game has never waned, even in times when Major League Baseball has suffered from maladies of its own making.

So it was not surprising then to sit just a few feet from the president Wednesday and watch him thoroughly enjoy a tee-ball game that would have been better suited for Disney than Fox.

He seemed to drink in every minute of associating with Little Leaguers and big leaguers alike, and was in absolutely no hurry to head back from the South Lawn to the White House, stopping to sign autographs and take pictures for what must have seemed to the Secret Service like an eternity.

"Baseball is a great escape, a respite from the real world issues he deals with every day. It's a healthy outlet for him,'' said White House communications director Kevin Sullivan. "He's never really let it go and he tries to stay in touch with it by all the things he does here involving baseball.''

The president and Mrs. Bush hosted their 19th tee ball game since 2001 Wednesday, and then hosted about 100 people at a White House dinner Wednesday night honoring baseball, replete with Hall of Famers, all-stars, team officials and league personnel.

"He really loves baseball, and this is his chance to be around it and talk about it. He does a few of these a year. It keeps him involved in the game,'' Sullivan said. "He did an interview earlier this year where he talked about his dad taking him to games when he was a kid, and his dad being there to watch his Little League games.

"It's been a big part of his life since he was a child and he doesn't want to give that up, or see the game lose its standing in our society.

"He loves baseball that much.''

All politics aside, it was moving to see the children enjoying the opportunity of a lifetime on the South Lawn Wednesday, and it's a tradition that may last generations if the next president decides to bring it back.

"That would be great, but that will be for them to make that call,'' Sullivan said. "The president just wanted to promote fitness among kids and he wanted to share his love of the national pastime.

"He thought it would be really cool to get kids to the White House to play tee-ball. He really, really enjoys this event and obviously the families involved enjoy it, too.''

One Hall of Famer had a blast himself Wednesday, saying he sees the draw.

"It's great to see the kids having a good time and enjoying the game, just like we did,'' said Ryne Sandberg. "It takes you back, reminds you of that joy when you didn't think about anything but just wanting to play every day.

"It's great to see and a pretty special day for them.''

Sandberg also had a chance to talk baseball with the president, who's aware there's a team on the North Side of Chicago having a pretty good year.

"He knows what's going on with the Cubs, and the chance they might go to the World Series,'' Sandberg said. "I encouraged him to come to Chicago if that happens and I think he'll do it.

"I mean, 100 years and all that, he wouldn't pass up that chance.''