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CNN Sunday Morning

White House Prepares for T-Ball Game

Aired May 06, 2001 - 10:14   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, it's time to play ball. Today at the White House, two local T-ball teams will slug it out on the south lawn.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: You know, this is the first of many such games being promised by the president, who will be on hand to lead the youngsters in a little league pledge.

And, joining us to talk more about the game, Lance Van Auken, the director of media relations for the Little League Baseball International Headquarters. Lance, you're bringing a different kind of hardball to Washington, aren't you.

LANCE VAN AUKEN, LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL: Yes, we are, and actually, the balls aren't that hard. They're actually a little bit softer than regular baseballs even.

O'BRIEN: Yes, T-ball and all.

PHILLIPS: Lance, let's talk a little bit about how this got going. How did this whole concept happen?

VAN AUKEN: Well, we got a call about five weeks ago from the White House, asking if Little League Baseball would like to become involved in a baseball initiative that President Bush was putting together, and of course we're more than happy to do it. In fact, we're extremely honored, and we've been working very closely with the White House now for at least five weeks and, you know, we can't say enough about, particularly the communications office at the White House and everything that they've done.

They've bent over backwards to make sure that this is something safe and it follows Little League regulations and it just should be a blast for the kids.

O'BRIEN: Wow. I guess, what, motherhood, apple pie and baseball? It's all the American things you could think of, wrapped up in all of this. But, you know, give us a sense of what the goal is, from your perspective. Is this going to perpetuate the game, as you see it? Does baseball need a lift?

VAN AUKEN: You know, I think there's a perception out there that it does, and certainly this is going to do that. You know, back in the Eisenhower administration, he kind of latched on to golf and that sent golf on to become more popular than it ever was and this is going to do nothing but good for baseball overall.

PHILLIPS: Well, I was reading that the president told Oprah that Little League was one of his fondest memories. How have you see Little League effect these kids?

VAN AUKEN: Well, I think these kids in particular, they love being from D.C., and this gives them a great opportunity to come to the White House. The president wanted to do something neighborly because he's, you know, a new resident of the District of Columbia. And so, this is just a neighborly thing for him to do.

He played Little League baseball when he was growing up in Midland, Texas. We actually brought his roster so he could take a look at that, from 1955.

O'BRIEN: A neighborly thing to do, and if you've got a big yard, like the president does, why not invite the kids over.

VAN AUKEN: Absolutely.

O'BRIEN: Layout the schedule that lies ahead. This is just the first of a series, right?

VAN AUKEN: Right. At this point, we're looking at it on a periodic nature. We're not, like, locking into every month. Right now we're just going to basically see how this one goes and work closely with the White House and possibly even in the future expand the base of players that we can draw from out into the United States and maybe even to the rest of the world.

PHILLIPS: Lance, how did the kids react? I mean, when you told them they were going to play at the White House, did they have questions for the president, or what kind of response did you get?

VAN AUKEN: The response has been tremendous. The thing about T- ball, which, these kids are five, six, seven and eight and, you know, they're aware that they're coming to the White House. But I think there's this sense of awe that they have. Their parents are perhaps more aware of where they are and one of the coaches said the other day that he's worried about distractions, because for T-ball, a lot of times, a butterfly can provide enough distraction, much less the president of the United States, the first lady, the San Diego Chicken and all these other distractions. It should be a blast.

O'BRIEN: You neglected to mention the horde of media that will be there, snapping pictures, gathering this on videotape.

VAN AUKEN: Yeah.

O'BRIEN: Not your average T-ball game by any stretch of the imagination. But, at that age, they are oblivious, aren't they?

VAN AUKEN: They absolutely are. And, you know, you eluded to all the media that's coming. Second to the Little League World Series that we play every year in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, this is probably the biggest youth sporting event this country has ever seen. And it's five, six, seven and eight year olds. There won't be any losers here today. Nobody will strike out. Everybody will bat. Everybody will play. Everybody will have a great time.

O'BRIEN: Well put. And, enjoy; enjoy the national pastime right there at the national house. Thank you very much.

PHILLIPS: Lance Van Auken, thank you. We'll be covering it, that's for sure.

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