[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 16 (Monday, April 21, 1997)]
[Pages 528-529]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Interview With Chris Berman of ESPN

April 15, 1997

[The President's remarks are joined in progress.]

    The President. And if he hadn't done what he did and Branch Rickey 
hadn't done what he did, PeeWee Reese hadn't run the team like he did, 
it would have been a very different world. But Jackie Robinson--you 
know, someone--maybe fate has a way of doing that in history, but he 
was--he had the unique blend of talent and character to do what he did. 
And it's made a real difference.
    It made a real difference to the way people thought about race. I 
think that's more important than the fact that he was a great baseball 
player because baseball really was our national pastime then, too, and 
there was no competition from highly televised pro basketball or pro 
football or anything else. It was the thing. And so it was--as important 
as it was and 3 years later basketball was integrated and other things 
happened, this was a huge deal. Most Americans now can't even imagine 
how big a deal it was.
    This was the year before President Truman signed the order to 
integrate the Army. This was a huge deal.
    Mr. Berman. It was really 15 years plus before marches in the 
sixties. I mean, it was so far ahead of its time----
    The President. Almost a decade before Rosa Parks. And this was--and 
it was baseball, so it was a statement about America. Anything you said 
about baseball in the forties and the early fifties, it was a statement 
about America.
    Mr. Berman. By the way, Olerud is at first base with a single, one 
out. But Bernard Gilkey is up.
    The President. He's doing better in New York, isn't he, although----
    Mr. Berman. Well, he's in another----
    The President. But he's hitting well again, and it's good. It's been 
a good move for him.
    Mr. Berman. It kind of got a little stale for him in Toronto.
    Mr. President. Yes. It's good for him.
    Mr. Berman. Did you ever get up to see Jackie Robinson play? I don't 
know how many Cardinal games you went to. Arkansas was a good drive from 
there.
    The President. Only one time when I was a child. My father took me 
on a train to St. Louis to watch a game, but they weren't playing the 
Dodgers. But we didn't get a television until 1956, but it was right 
after the '55 season, right after the Boys of Summer. So for 2 years I 
sat transfixed in front of my television set. And tonight we had a 
contest in the place where I'm sitting to see how many people could 
remember the names of people on the '55 team--how many names

[[Page 529]]

you could remember. I had like--I quit at seven. And I hadn't even 
thought about it since. And I still remember the first time I saw Jackie 
Robinson, with that hitch in his swing and the way he ran sort of 
almost--on television it looked almost like he was bent over. It was an 
amazing thing. I remember just being transfixed by it.
    Mr. Berman. Well, you have these images all--the old crystal set, 
right, which was how you followed your baseball. And so many people did, 
certainly, in the fifties. When you finally saw him, or now that you've 
seen him afterwards on the old news reels, et cetera, was that the image 
you had of him as a boy listening on the radio, or was he more 
impressive in person?
    The President. More impressive in person. But I used to do my 
homework at night listening to the Cardinals games on the radio. So I--I 
probably shouldn't say, it's a bad example for students of today.
    Mr. Berman. We all did it; we all did it.
    The President. But I did. And so, he was better than I thought he 
would be. He was beautiful. He was fabulous, watching him.
    Mr. Berman. You're excited about this evening, aren't you?
    The President. I am, it's very important. I think that it's also 
good for baseball. This night will capture the attention of America and 
make everybody forget about some of the things they didn't like that 
happened the last 2 years and make people fall in love with baseball 
again, I hope.
    Mr. Berman. As we did the night of the Cal Ripken thing.
    The President. Yes we did.
    Mr. Berman. I have to ask you this. It's April 15th. Are your taxes 
done?
    The President. Yes. Paid them all.
    Mr. Berman. Because I might be able to get you an extension.
    The President. I don't think I ought to. I've got to set a good 
example, you know. [Laughter] I'm surprised all these baseball players 
shook hands with me tonight. They make more money than Jackie Robinson 
did, so they probably weren't very happy to see me tonight. [Laughter]
    Mr. Berman. Oh, I think they were. I think you honored everybody 
with your presence. Thank you for joining us.
    The President. Thank you. I'm glad to be here. Thanks.

Note: The interview began at 8:45 p.m. at Shea Stadium. In his remarks, 
the President referred to civil rights activist Rosa Parks. The press 
release issued by the Office of the Press Secretary did not include the 
complete opening remarks of the President.