It's a long way from Yankee Stadium to Peoria

WASHINGTON - Rare has been the day in two years of managing that Ryne Sandberg's been away from his team.

Except to join his fellow Hall of Famers in Cooperstown in late July, he tends to the flock, which just went on a torrid 17-7 run.

But when the commissioner of baseball called and said he needed all Hall of Famers in New York for the final All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, Sandberg thought he probably had to be there.

Then, the White House called and said they needed him here Wednesday, so Sandberg decided a couple of days away might be OK, especially since he planned to miss only two Chiefs games.

"This is all about a celebration of baseball, and nothing to do with politics or anything else, so I'm thrilled to be here,'' Sandberg said while in the president's backyard, also known as the South Lawn. "One thing everyone here has in common is we love baseball and care about the game, and any president that called me and wanted me to be a part of that, you don't have to ask me twice.''

Sandberg's trip began with the largest gathering of Hall of Famers and all-stars in history as a tribute to Yankee Stadium's final season, and included a Red Carpet Parade down Sixth Avenue in Manhattan Tuesday morning.

There was also a pregame, on-field introduction of the Hall of Fame cast.

"I couldn't be the one guy to say I couldn't do it,'' Sandberg said. "It was incredible being out there on the field before the game, standing at second base. It's the first time I got that view in Yankee Stadium, so I really took it in.''

And then there was the invitation to tee ball and dinner at the White House Wednesday night, something President Bush does a couple times a year for his friends in baseball.

It's a social dinner for administration officials, members of Congress, Hall of Famers, all-stars, and baseball executives.

A Kenny Chesney concert in the Rose Garden followed Wednesday's dinner.

Among the many expected to attend Wednesday night were Tony Gwynn, Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, John Smoltz, Cal Ripken, Kevin Millar, Rick Monday, Nolan Ryan and Bud Selig.

"This is great. It promotes baseball and family and kids,'' Sandberg said of the tee-ball game. "It's all good. I mean, look at the pink gloves out there. You have to love this.

"I've met a president before, but I've never had dinner at the White House before and I'd never been to Yankee Stadium. Pretty good week.''

Not surprisingly, Sandberg still doesn't talk of himself as one of the all-time greats, and is like a kid in a candy store when he's around his Hall of Fame peers.

"To have these couple days with all the Hall of Famers is a great honor,'' Sandberg said. "This is all very thrilling for me.''

First-class travel and accommodations, not to mention Yankee Stadium and the White House, are slightly different from what he encounters in his current position, when he travels through the Midwest League by bus, staying in motels, and playing in tiny minor-league stadiums.

"Yeah, it's different, but those parks are great, too, better than you think,'' Sandberg said. "It's baseball. Those little parks in those little cities are as much about baseball as any major-league park.

"It's where I started. It's where it all starts. Now, I'm back there, starting over again. It's all good. That's all good stuff. I love it.''