[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: GEORGE W. BUSH (2001, Book I)]
[May 4, 2001]
[Pages 490-491]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Honoring the 2000 World Series Champion New York Yankees
May 4, 2001

    Thank you. Please sit down. Well, it's my honor to welcome the 
mighty Yanks to the Rose Garden, a team that broke my heart many a time, 
as the owner of the Texas Rangers. [Laughter]
    I'm so glad you all are here, and I appreciate the mayor being here--the Yankees' number one fan--and 
members of the congressional delegation who are here, as well. Thank you 
all for coming.
    It's good to see my old fellow owner, ``the Boss.'' [Laughter] What 
a record you've had--a man who demands excellence and oftentimes gets 
it. [Laughter] But thank you for coming, George. I know the real boss of the Yankees is here, too, Arthur 
Richman. [Laughter] How are you, Arthur? Good 
to see you. I told you one of these days we would get to the White 
House. Just don't take any silverware, Arthur. [Laughter]
    It's good to see Randy and Brian 
Cashman. Thank you all for coming. I am--I 
understand something about baseball. It

[[Page 491]]

not only takes great players to win a championship, it takes a great 
manager, too. And I know all sports fans are impressed by the class of 
Joe Torre. What a heck of a man he is. And Don 
Zimmer, you're not so bad, either. [Laughter]
    But one of the things everybody forgets about Joe is that he was a pretty darn good player himself. Thirty 
years ago, he led the National League with a .363 batting average, 137 
RBIs, and it's sure good to welcome you back here, Joe. [Laughter]
    And there are fellow Texans on this team, and around here that 
counts for something. [Laughter] So it's good to see ``the Rocket''--a 
friend of my family's, Roger Clemens--Andy 
Pettitte, and Chuck Knoblauch.
    I--something about the Yankees. It's one of the greatest names in 
sport. It's a tradition and a powerful tradition. I mean, you put on a 
uniform, it's just not work clothes; it's the uniform that Ruth wore or 
Gehrig wore, and you all have kept up that tradition. And for that, you 
need to be congratulated.
    It's interesting that we're hosting the great Yanks here in the Rose 
Garden, and then this Sunday there's a little different celebration 
taking place. It's a baseball celebration. But on the other side of the 
driveway down there, we've set up a tee-ball park. And it's a chance for 
moms and dads to bring tee-ball teams to celebrate the great sport of 
baseball right here on the hallowed grounds of the White House. Yankee 
Stadium is hallowed grounds; so is the White House.
    What's going to be interesting about that day is, there is going to 
be some little kid trying to adjust his batting gloves just like 
Jeter does, or somebody trying to look like 
Mariano Rivera, or somebody trying to emulate 
the swing of Tino Martinez. That's what's 
going to happen. And as a reminder to those who are on the field that a 
lot of kids look at you--they really do--and there's a lot of parents 
pulling for the Yanks to be champs not only on the field but off the 
field. And there's no question in my mind that these Yanks will rise to 
both occasions.
    Welcome to the White House.

Note: The President spoke at 10:32 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani of New 
York City and the following New York Yankees personnel: George 
Steinbrenner III, principal owner; Arthur Richman, senior adviser; Randy 
Levine, president; Brian Cashman, senior vice president and general 
manager; Joe Torre, manager; Don Zimmer, assistant manager; Roger 
Clemens, Andy Pettitte, and Mariano Rivera, pitchers; Chuck Knoblauch, 
outfielder; Derek Jeter, shortstop; and Tino Martinez, first baseman.