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Home , Jon Miller, Mel Proctor, Mike Flanagan (baseball), Peter Angelos, Sports in Baltimore

Apr. 2 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1996

say that this is not my case, and I would be NOTE: The President’s 117th news conference offended, and it would be a lack of respect began at 12:36 p.m. in Room 450 of the Old Exec- for the and for the President of utive Office Building. President Scalfaro spoke in the United States, but also for Italy and for Italian, and his remarks were translated by an in- myself. And that’s all I have to say. terpreter. President Clinton. Thank you very much.

Interview With and Fred Manfra of WBAL Radio in , April 2, 1996

Q. Here’s the pitch to Bobby Bonilla, and The President. Well, he’s got the only two Bonilla takes ball one outside. So I guess that RBI’s, doesn’t he? ends some of the conversations about how Q. Two-run in the first inning for Cal, Cone’s arm is. and now we’re a 2–2 ball game. Hey, and look who just stopped in. Mr. Presi- I’m glad you were able to come over today. dent. We thought you might be able to be here yes- The President. How are you? terday, and then we got rained out. But we’re Q. How are you, Mr. President? Bill Clinton very pleased—— is here with us. The pitch to Bonilla—— The President. Beautiful day today, though, The President. I’m the good luck charm when isn’t it? I’m on this radio—— Q. Fantastic. Q. Oh, yeah, definitely. In fact, when you The President. And the wind’s not too bad were with us last year, Bobby Bonilla came up inside which is good. and promptly hit one over the center field wall. Q. Two and 0 to Cal Ripken. Bonilla at sec- And he drives this one deep into right center ond. field—— The President. Strike. The President. No, no. Yes. Q. Down around the knees. Two balls and Q. This one is bouncing over the wall. one strike. The President. Ground rule . That’s The President. A little too low to hit, though. good. Q. Did you get a chance to see Cal before Q. And right after Bonilla hit that , the game? then Ripken came up, and he did the same The President. Yes. He baited me about going thing. In fact, President Clinton, you broadcast out on the ’s mound because last year that Ripken home run which was an historic I stood in front of the mound and started— night. You were part of it. So let’s go back [laughter]—so he said, you know, ‘‘That’s what now and take a listen here. This is how it hap- that mound is there for. You’re supposed to pened. step up on top of it.’’ [Laughter] Q. And he fouls it off back out of play. The President. So I asked him if he were [At this point, WBAL played an audiotape of baiting me. He said, ‘‘No, no.’’ He said, ‘‘If the President’s remarks in 1995.] you don’t want to go out there and do what The President. That was a great day. you’re supposed to do, it’s all right with me.’’ Q. We’ve played that 500 times since then, [Laughter] and everybody loves that. Here’s Cal the fol- Q. Well that’s great. You got the Ripken treat- lowing season as we pick up again, and Presi- ment. dent Clinton is here with us. And again, every- The President. So I had to go up there and body with such indelible memories of that great stand on the mound. night, Mr. President. What do you think now? Q. You’re like part of the family now if he Cal taking ball one from Appier. was talking to you like that. Well, you stood

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up there, and you threw a strike in there. Nice The President. We had a tough winter. going. Q. Baseball has brought the sunshine back. The President. It was a slow strike, but I There’s a pitch inside to Surhoff. Two and got it over. one, the count. Q. Two and two to Cal Ripken, batting with The President. Look at the flag blowing up two down and Bonilla at second in the last of there. You’ll see how hard the wind is, though, the third inning. Kevin Appier. and you don’t feel it in here, which is good. The President. He hit a hard ball there. That Q. Yeah, I’ve been downtown on top of one was a hard, good double. of the buildings. The flag is standing straight Q. Now the pitch. There’s a looping liner. out at attention out there, but inside here, very Shallow center—— comfortable. The President. Get down. Get down. But I was impressed. I mean, you walked Q. Base hit. Here comes Bonilla, and Ripken out on the mound, and we’ve seen guys bounce has done it again. Another Presidential base hit them in there. But you put it right in. Did for Cal Ripken. We may have to have you on you warm up ahead of time? every time he bats. The President. I did. I got to—hurry. Well, it looked like he got a little that Q. Pop foul over third base side over into kind of hung up there above the knees, and the seats, reaching in. he blooped it into shallow center. And Bobby The President. He nearly got there, didn’t he? Bonilla scored. I have a feeling that Alomar, Q. Yeah. And not getting it was Lockhart. Palmeiro, Bonilla, Ripken, they’re going to com- Gave it a good shot. Two and two, the count. bine for a few runs this year. Who warmed you up? You played catch with The President. They’ll do well. And this guy, somebody? Surhoff, is good, too. He can hit. The President. Well, Mr. Angelos threw me Q. He hit .320 last year with Milwaukee. Very a few balls. fine. Not a power-type hitter, but he gets the Q. Yeah? ball to all fields. And he takes ball one, down The President. Yeah—[laughter]—believe it or and in, on a breaking ball. One ball and no not. We threw about 20 balls together, and then strikes. I threw about 20, 30 more balls down there, Now last year you had your daughter, Chel- just fooling around. And then I came out and sea, here and—— put a jacket on and a cap on. The President. She was here. She’s a little Q. Two and two to Surhoff. And a fast ball jealous that I’m here today, but she had to go tailing outside for a ball. Three and two, the to school today. [Laughter] You know, she and count. her mother just took a wonderful trip. They Well, we put out tapes and CD’s of the whole went to see our forces in Bosnia, and then they Ripken thing last September and raised money went to Turkey and . So I told her she for charity. got to go to Turkey, Greece, and Bosnia, and The President. That’s great. I got to go to Baltimore. [Laughter] Q. And everywhere we went after they com- Q. So you’re even. pleted that, people commenting about how The President. That’s the deal. That’s right. much fun it was that you were on the air. And Q. Yeah, you’re even. Here’s a foul ball back when Cal hit that home run, it was—there you into the upper deck. One ball, one strike, to were, the First Fan. Surhoff. The President. Well, we were all so happy, Well, we thought maybe she’d get spring you know. It was a—what? break or something. Next time on , Q. That’s what B.J. Surhoff is saying as they declare spring break over here. call him out on strikes. One ball, one strike—— The President. It looked like it was inside, The President. They missed so many days this didn’t it? winter; they need to go more, not less. Q. Two feet inside, I thought. And that’s what Q. That’s right. B.J.’s arguing, too. But he’s called out on strikes. The President. It’s good to see springtime out The President. I told—I went down to see here, isn’t it? the umpires before the game, and I said that Q. It sure is. I really wanted to see them because they were

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the only people in the country that got second- But the unique thing about it is, it’s going guessed more than I did. [Laughter] So I like to be—the base line is going to be even closer— those guys. I’m for them, you know. They are I mean, the foul line is going to be even closer the company misery loves. [Laughter] to—the base line—to the stands than here. And Q. Well, that’s it for the Orioles in the third home plate’s going to be even tucked in tighter inning. The President of the United States is than here, so that the average distance from here with us, Bill Clinton. base line to the stands will be about 45 feet. The President. One run on two hits. And the major league ballparks average some- Q. And one man left on. thing like 70 feet. So even though the Braves The President. Yes. have this magnificent pitching staff, they’re Q. And at the end of three, it’s the Orioles, going to be tested because they won’t get as 3; Kansas City, 2. many easy foul-outs. [At this point, WBAL took a commercial break.] Q. Here’s a fly ball, shallow left. In comes Hammonds, and he makes for out Q. Inning number four, now, at Camden number two. Yards. Jon Miller, Fred Manfra, along with the Well, that’s a good point because, I mean, President of the United States, Bill Clinton, as the current stadium in Atlanta probably has the Royals come to bat. The Orioles are back more foul territory than any other ballpark. in front, 3 to 2. Johnny Damon stands in, a The President. Yes. A little more than average, left-handed hitter. Takes a strike from Mike yeah. Mussina. Q. Yeah. President Clinton was just commenting to us The President. But, I mean, the are between innings about what a beautiful scene fabulous. So they’ll do fine. But it just interested it is here at Camden Yards. The President. It’s just magnificent today. I me that they are going to have a little extra wish everybody could see it. It’s so really beau- handicap there. And of course, visiting pitching tiful. staff will as well. So they—arguably, it will be Q. There’s a popup, shallow left. Ripken, the a fair fight on everything. , out. Near the foul line on the outfield Q. So it sounds like they didn’t ask Greg grass. And he makes the catch. Maddux about how they should build that ball- The President. I think everybody here’s having park. [Laughter] a good time. Just the feel of being here, you The President. Actually, I asked him about know, makes you so happy. it when they were—when the Braves came to Q. You know, it’s been said that—I mean, the White House for the , and their opening day in baseball really, actually for a starting—you know, their big four were all baseball fan, carries all of the same sentiment there, and they didn’t seem too worried about that we ascribe to New Year’s Eve, you know, it. They were ready to roll. a clean slate, a fresh start, high hopes. Q. If you’re good, you’re good. The President. You bet. The President. Yeah. Q. But it’s even more tangible in baseball Q. Mussina here, I mean, there’s less foul because we really know that they’ve got a shot. territory than average here, and doesn’t seem Here is Michael Tucker, the cleanup man. to bother him much. Three to two for the Orioles. And the pitch, The President. He’s a fine pitcher. Oh, he’s and it’s a ball down and in. so good. Now, you were telling us between innings that Q. The batter is Keith Lockhart, and it’s one you had a chance to go down to Atlanta and ball and one strike. see the layout there. The President. Mussina’s got a great future, The President. I looked at the Olympic Sta- too. I mean, he’s got a—young, strong. dium, which is magnificent. The American peo- Q. Young guy. Still lives in his hometown. ple will love it. And then after the Olympics, Goes up and coaches the team in a section in the back is going to be taken down his old high school. You know, instead of going like what we now see from here over center off on some yacht to the south of France, I field, and it’s going to be converted into the mean, he’s just back home, and he likes to work Braves’ new stadium. with the young kids.

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Two and one to Lockhart. Where are you Q. Any time you feel like a ball game, well, headed now? You’ve got—— stop by and visit us. The President. I’ve got to go back to—the The President. You’ve got a deal. President of Italy is here today. And we’re hav- Q. All right. ing the Italian state dinner tonight. The President. Thank you. Q. Now, in fact, I understand that my buddy Q. That’s the President, Bill Clinton, threw Keith Berman from ESPN is supposed to be out the first ball—threw a strike, I might add, a guest at that state dinner. and he actually warmed up, he said, with Orioles The President. I think that’s right. I think chairman of the board ahead of he’s going to be there. time. Q. Well, keep him away from the President The President. I did, and I was on the pitch- of Italy. That’s all I can say. [Laughter] er’s mound because Ripken taunted me up The President. And we’re going to have a lot there. [Laughter] of distinguished Italian-Americans. Thank you. Q. Two-two pitch now to Lockhart. That’s Q. Thank you, Mr. President. a base hit down the left field line. Hammonds The President. That’s a popup. hustles over to cut it off. Rounding first and holding is Lockhart with his second straight hit. NOTE: The President spoke at 4:21 p.m. in the Three to two, Kansas City trailing the Orioles WBAL broadcast booth at Oriole Park at Camden here in the fourth inning. Yards. In his remarks, he referred to ESPN com- Well, that sounds like a great night. And mentator . A portion of this inter- again, we really appreciate your stopping by. view could not be verified because the tape was The President. Thanks. Glad to do it. incomplete.

Interview With , , and of Home Team Sports in Baltimore April 2, 1996

Q. Welcome back to Camden Yards. The Ori- Q. This is a good time of the year for you. oles lead the 3–2. It is open- I know you’re a big college basketball fan, hav- ing day, and President Bill Clinton was here ing gone to Arkansas. Unfortunately, the Razor- today to throw out the first ball, and he’ll be backs were eliminated, didn’t make it to the joining us momentarily, as soon as we get him finals. miked up. The President. But I’m very proud of them. Well, we’ve got two right-handers, myself and They started 4 freshmen and made it to the Jim Palmer, and two left-handers in the booth Sweet 16, so I think they did well. It was a now, Flanagan and the President. great tournament this year, I think. Everybody Q. We finally have some balance up here. who watched the games must have felt it was Q. Can we get a Presidential chair in here? a great tournament. Thank you very much. Q. I know you love being here on opening How are you, sir? day. The President. Great. It’s been a good game, The President. I do. And this has been excit- don’t you think? ing, you know? It’s great to see this new Balti- Q. I agree. more team. You know, they’ve got a chance The President. And a beautiful day. to go all the way. And yet, if my count’s right, Q. What was that first pitch you threw? all their RBI’s go to Mr. Ripken today. , slider, curve? Q. That’s right. [Laughter] The President. It wasn’t fast. It wasn’t fast, Q. Yes, he got 30 percent of what he had but I had a good time. in all spring training. And of course, they all

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