Nicholas Sarantakes on President Nixon and Baseball

Nixon Now Podcast

On July 22, 1969, President Nixon celebrated the 100th anniversary of baseball with a White House reception of over 400 baseball greats, officials, and media. Among those in attendance in the East Room were Pittsburgh Pirates all-star Roberto Clemente, New York Yankees greats Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle, Cincinnati Reds’ Pete Rose, and other then current and future hall of famers. Washington’s RFK Stadium was the location for the all-star game the same day. President Nixon was planning to attend, but the game rained out and was postponed to the next day when Nixon was en-route to see the splash down of the Apollo 11 astronauts in the South Pacific. Nixon told his audience: "As far as I am concerned I just want you to know that I like the job I have, but if I had to live my life over again, I would have liked to have ended up as a sports writer." On this edition of the Nixon Now podcast, commemorating the 150th anniversary of baseball and President Nixon’s love for the game, we’re joined by Nicholas Evan Sarantakes, historian, professor at Naval War College, and accomplished author. His newest book due out this October is “Fan-in-Chief: Richard Nixon and American Sports, 1969-1974.” Photo: President Nixon talks to a fan on the Washington Senator's opening day at RFK stadium on April 7, 1969.