[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 26 (Monday, July 3, 1995)]
[Pages 1127-1128]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Interview with Gary Matthews of ESPN in Pine Bluff

June 24, 1995

    Mr. Matthews. Thank you very much, Mr. President. Thank you for 
coming in. I understand that you're a great amateur baseball fan. Did 
you have the opportunity to play when you were growing up here in 
Arkansas?

[[Page 1128]]

    The President. I did. Everybody did when I was a boy, but I was 
never as good as these guys are.
    Mr. Matthews. Well, I'm sure you, like other fans across the 
country--and having played major league baseball, myself--are happy that 
the strike is over. It's just so good to see so many fans here in Pine 
Bluff come out and support amateur sports.
    The President. It is. I was delighted when the strike was over. As 
you know, I did what I could to help bring it to an end, and I think it 
kind of keeps the spirits of baseball fans up all across America. But 
the real heart and soul of baseball in our country are people like this, 
all these fans out here in stands like this all over America today and 
all these young people that are doing it in this way. They build the 
spirit of baseball, and they make it possible for a few people like you 
to rise to the top and have the career that you had.
    Mr. Matthews. Well, thank you. I really appreciate that. I 
understand that you're the first President to come to Pine Bluff in over 
100 years. What took you so long?
    The President. I was here a lot before I became President. These 
people in this county were as good to me as any people in our entire 
State. They carried me on their shoulders through 12 years as Governor 
and I owed them a trip back here, and I'm honored to be here today.
    Mr. Matthews. Well, thank you, Mr. President. Enjoy the game today.
    The President. Thank you.

Note: The interview began at 1:21 p.m. at Taylor Field, where the 
President threw the first pitch at the National Amateur All Star 
Baseball Tournament. Gary Matthews is a former player for the Chicago 
Cubs baseball team. A tape was not available for verification of the 
content of this interview.