 Vice President of the United States. Hey, Stan, haven't seen you since the front row box at Dr. Stadium when I had my son with me. Well, that's when I used to bang him out, though, here. No, it was after that, when I was governor. And you came down to the box there. This is Jim Hunter, thank you very much. Good to see you again. Hi, Mr. Bob Marcia. Good to see you. Good to see you again. Hello, buddy. Hey, Jim. Hello, Jim. Nice to see you here. I guess I do this. No, no. Well, this is more fun than being president. I really do love baseball, and I wish we could do this out in the lawn every day. I wouldn't even complain if a stray ball came through the Oval Office window now and then. But it's great to see all these youngsters out here, the bats and the balls and everything that's going on. Baseball, of course, is our national pastime. That is, if you discount political campaigning and the ball and bat are common to city streets, rural sand lots throughout all of the country, whether it's a group of eight years old, eight-year-olds on a vacant lot or a finely coached team of college all-stars or the bottling plants local team. Baseball is fun for players and spectators alike. That's why I'm delighted the Congress has set aside this month to honor amateur baseball. That's why I left you fellas out in those remarks there. Now, if they would just set aside a month for my defense budget, but for this signing today, we have Hall of Famers here. We have Little Leaguers, and that's the way it should be because baseball appeals to young and old alike. It's increasingly appealing to people around the entire world, and I'm very glad that baseball will be played as a demonstration sport at next summer's Los Angeles Olympic Games. And then if we're very successful, very possibly it could become a full-fledged medal sport in time for the 1988 Games in Seoul, South Korea. Now, I know you'd rather watch a Little League game than hear me talk, so I shall now go sign this proclamation about Baseball Month. Play ball! Going to play ball, and the Athletics will take the field, first of all, with Brian Miller playing second base, Albert Whitlock at shortstop, Brian Bremmer will be the first baseman, or Brian Brewer, rather. Frankie Lawson at third base, John Stringel in left field, Charlie Letts in center field, and if the Athletics will take the field and they're about all ready to go, we're going to have the first ball ceremony. But in order to do that, we need the presence of our number one baseball fan, President Reagan. Everybody plays baseball. I'm glad that the President mentioned that. I'm told that the Secret Service also has a baseball team, and they're not quite sure who plays on it. They're not quite sure where they play, but they do have a baseball team, and we're very happy that among the Little League representatives who are here this afternoon, we also have many young ladies, and as soon as we have an opportunity, we will have the first ball ceremony, and the young lady by the name of Nancy Gohan, who plays first base for Green Meadows, is going to have the privilege of presenting the ball to President Reagan, who in turn, after being duly warmed up, will have the opportunity to make the first pitch to Jim Palmer. And we wait now just the finishing of the ceremonies out there at second base, because if Palmer's going to pitch, that could be dangerous territory out around second base. And we understand that following Jim Palmer to the mound this afternoon, the Oriole left-hander Scott McGregor. And if there's any doubt in your mind about other members of the Orioles who are here this afternoon, I'm sure you've recognized Rick Dempsey and Ken Singleton. On the mound warming up right now is Robert Finn. But his place is going to be taken by Jim Palmer. And now, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to direct your attention to the mound and Miss Nancy Gohan of Green Meadows will take out the ball to the President, and the President will make the honorary first pitch to Jim Palmer. Nancy Gohan, congratulations, Nancy. Good luck to you, Jim. Now, if all of you with cameras are ready, right about now would be the time to watch very carefully as the President will make the first pitch to Jim Palmer. And I understand the President has been in there warming up for quite a little while. I would think with all the signing the President does, he wouldn't have to worry about warming up. All ready to go. And here is your first pitch. How about that? And a great hand for President Reagan. A strike pitch, if ever I saw one. Looks like the President's mid-season form. Stan Musial, Hall of Famer with us here at the microphone this afternoon. Would you like to critique the President's delivery? Well, he has a great arm. I'll say that. This is the kind of field I'd like to play on. It's going down, healing the wind blowing out. Stan Musial says this is a kind of a field he'd love to play on. He said it goes downhill and the wind blows out. Jim Palmer, we expect you to go out there and pitch right now. To the first batter for the Dodgers. And Mr. President, we expect that you'll be sitting here on the Dodger bench and rooting them on. I wonder if any one of you gentlemen over here might make room for the President. Thank you very much. All right, Tim Brown, you're due to hit. Now let's hear a little applause. Make it like what it really is this afternoon for a moment. But we understand that Mr. Lee McFail or the American League has said not so this afternoon. A different league, a different ballpark, and you are free to do the best that you can do Jim Palmer. The hold up is because of Rick Dempsey. Dick, I don't think that you had that helmet properly fitted. It might, as a matter of fact, be the wrong sort of a helmet. Rick Dempsey is going to be our catcher. And if you're ready, Jim, we'll have the first batter step in. That's about as good as he's ever going to get. Well, we do it or not. All right. And the first baseman making the play is Brian Brewer of the Athletics and we have Palmer gets one out and one pitch. And I'll tell you, he hasn't pitched like that for a little. Make that Scott Oaksmith, excuse me, the third baseman. Not too bad a pitch. How about that swing stand? Good level of swing. All right, here he is. Three Kobe Blum. And good luck to you, Kobe. Go get him. Oh, you're fastball. And we've got a 2-2 count now, right? Somebody get that one. All right, the Athletics will come to bat. And Scott McGregor will take over on the mound for the Orioles. Scotty, do you need a little time to warm up? McGregor has been doing very well. The Orioles as a team have been doing very well. Incidentally, I'd like to see. All right, who's going to lead off? Tim Brown, are you due to lead off? Rather, make it. Brian Miller is due to lead off. Okay. Is McGregor ready? Uh-oh. You can all you can get. That's still in play, I believe. Or is that a ground rule double? We call that a ground rule double. Is that right, Mr. Umpire? Stan, he really jumped on it. Ah, he hit the, he's strong, well-headed, hard. And I think he belongs, he deserves a double. He really does. And now Albert Whitlock, the shortstop for the Athletics. Scotty, do you want to move that outfield around a little bit? Apparently, they're not playing in the right, but look out. Here we go. Way to make the play. One gone, Monty Irwin. We have a ball one. Stolen base. And now coming to the plate with the first run of the afternoon is Brian Miller, a nice little delayed double steal. And Scotty, even without the sun, you don't want to go after that kind of a pitch. That's one thing you learned, didn't you, Stan? Wait for your pitch. Well, you got to hit strikes. That's the main thing about hitting. Yeah, the hitting strikes, Scotty. All right, Scott, one to nothing. The Athletics are leading. Scotty's not going to let that guy steal out there again. Go get him, Scotty. Hold the runner at second. Throw him out at first. Come to the ballpark and play tonight. Good to see a left-hand hitter up there, too. The first one we've had, Scott should mention the manager of the Athletics is Tom Boehner. Let's watch and see whether the third baseman can make the play. Good throw. Does he get him? He's got him, and that ends our exhibition for this afternoon. And the Athletics have won it by a score of one to nothing. Heartiest congratulations to the Athletics, and we thank you one and all for your kind attention this afternoon.