[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 25 (Monday, June 26, 2006)]
[Pages 1214-1215]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at Opening Day of 2006 White House Tee-Ball

June 23, 2006

    The President. Seth, thank you very much. Good job. Welcome to the 
South Lawn. Laura and I are thrilled you're here for opening day. It is 
an honor for me and the commissioner, General Pete Pace, to welcome you 
all here for what is going to be an exciting ball game between the 
Yankees from McGuire Air Force Base--[applause]--yes, right from New 
Jersey. Welcome. Glad you all are here. And they're going to be playing 
the Dolcom Little League Indians from Groton, Connecticut, representing 
the Naval Submarine Base of New London. Thank you all for coming. 
Welcome.
    We want to welcome the coaches and the players. We want to welcome 
the moms and dads and grandparents here to this historic ballpark. And 
we're glad you're here to help us kick off the 2006 Tee-Ball on the 
South Lawn season. General Pace and I expect there to be some pretty 
good competition today.
    I do want to welcome the mayor of Groton, Connecticut, Mayor Harry 
Watson. Mr. Mayor, thank you for coming; proud you're here. Thanks for 
serving. Thanks for joining

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us. I welcome Captain Sean Sullivan, who will be the First Base Coach. 
Captain, thanks for serving. Proud you're here. Good luck. You've got 
some awesome duties today. And Colonel Rick Martin from McGuire, good to 
see you, Colonel. Thanks for coming, Colonel. Proud you're here.
    We're proud to welcome Steve Keener, who is the president and CEO of 
Little League International, and his wife, Cheryl. Steve, thanks for 
coming back. Thanks for helping. For those of you who want to be a Major 
League player, Mike O'Connor is with us, from the mighty Washington 
Nationals. Mike, thank you for coming, buddy. Mike is a pitcher for the 
Nationals. Glad you're here, Mike. We welcome Seth Fallon. We just heard 
from Seth. Thanks. And I want to thank the Navy Sea Cadets Corps, who 
happen to be the color guard.
    Zane Ellingwood is about to put the first ball on the first tee for 
the first game. But not quite yet. I do want to welcome Tim Brant. Where 
are you, Tim? There he is. Tim, thanks for coming, buddy.
    Announcer Tim Brant. Thank you, pal.
    The President. A national baseball announcer here to call opening 
day. We really appreciate you coming. Thanks.
    And finally, I do want to welcome representatives from the Armed 
Forces Foundation, the Fisher House, and our military kids. Thank you 
for serving our families. After the game, it's my honor to be able to 
present the balls to each of the players on the team. And I will also be 
able to welcome Dave Erbe, who is a youth volunteer. He volunteers to 
help the wounded and injury--military personnel at Walter Reed. David, 
thank you in advance for doing what you're doing. Thanks for serving 
your generation and our country. You're a good man.
    And now, before we put the first ball on the tee, I do want you to 
join me in the Little League Pledge. Are you ready? All players ready? 
Doesn't look like it. [Laughter] Are you ready?

[At this point, the pledge was recited.]

    The President. Play ball.

Note: The President spoke at 1:05 p.m. on the South Lawn at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Seth Fallon, member, Maryland 
State Boychoir, who sang the national anthem; Gen. Peter Pace, USMC, 
Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, in his capacity as 2006 commissioner of 
White House Tee-Ball; Capt. Sean P. Sullivan, USN, commanding officer, 
Naval Submarine Base New London, who served as first base coach; Col. 
Frederick H. Martin, USAF, commander, McGuire Air Force Base, who served 
as third base coach; and youth volunteer Zane Ellingwood.