Cincinnati Reds help DeGeneres land Clooney

CINCINNATI -- Ellen DeGeneres, who made it her mission to snare actor George Clooney for her daytime television show, finally has him on board.

No lure had worked until Clooney jumped at the chance to appear with some baseball heroes, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famers Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan.

DeGeneres had conducted a "George Watch '08" campaign to get Clooney. Her theme this year was "George Clooney Is Mine In '09."

Clooney's "ER" co-star Noah Wyle told DeGeneres that some Big Red Machine players from the 1970s might pique Clooney's interest because he grew up around Cincinnati and is a big Reds fan.

Team executives helped line up the appearance by Bench and Morgan.

The show was taped Thursday in Burbank, Calif., and will be broadcast Monday.