Tevi Troy writes about one famous baseball player’s interactions with every man to occupy the White House since World War II.
Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra died five years ago on Sept. 22, 2015. A great baseball player, a well-regarded manager, and an often unintentionally hilarious philosopher, Berra was a regular on the presidential circuit. Babe Ruth famously met or interacted with every president from Wilson to Truman, six presidents over a 33-year span. Berra doubled up on the Babe. Over a 68-year period, Berra met or interacted with every president from Truman to Trump.
The first president Berra ever saw was Truman. It was Berra’s rookie season, and Truman threw out the first pitch at the Washington Senators’ home opener against Berra’s Yankees. To Berra, seeing the leader of the free world was “one of the few times I was in awe of somebody.” Former President Herbert Hoover threw out the first pitch the next day.
When Dwight D. Eisenhower became president in 1953, Berra was already a star, and Ike was an unabashed fan. …
… Berra met so many presidents that he could tick off their names in an offhand way. He once recalled that “I met President Ford, President Reagan, and President [George W.] Bush in the White House. I played golf with the other President Bush, and I met JFK in spring training. They were all nice guys.” …
… Richard Nixon was another Berra fan. When Nixon lived in New York and went to Yankees or Mets games, he would try to talk baseball with Berra. As president, Nixon placed Berra on his “Postwar All-Star Team.” …
… President George W. Bush felt a special bond with Berra. As a candidate, Bush told Berra that he had one of his quote books and would joke to reporters that he’d be interested in having Berra join his administration.
