A League of His Own : Nixon, Son-in-Law Elect All-Time All-Stars

In a tent in a parking lot, a Little League coach and a guy who “never made the team” announced their picks Wednesday for the all-time all-star baseball team.

It cost $200 to get inside to hear about it.

The day after Major League Baseball’s own All-Star game, former President Richard M. Nixon and son-in-law David Eisenhower revealed their all-star picks to a $200-a-plate luncheon at the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace in Yorba Linda.

It was a gala lineup. The last batter to hit .400. The first pitcher to strike out 18 batters. And the first and last President to resign from office.

OK, so Ted Williams, the last major leaguer to hit .400, didn’t show up.

But a “thief,” the Killer and the Big Cat were there with six others to be honored as part of the Nixon-Eisenhower All-Time Baseball Greats. As proof that the event was nonpartisan, Nixon pointed out that more of the stars on hand hailed from Arkansas than any other state.

Former Detroit Tiger third baseman George Kell, a 1949 batting champion, said someone had asked him how he made the team.

“Politics is not involved,” Kell said, explaining that he is “a yellow-dog Democrat.”

Joining Nixon (the guy who never made a team, baseball or otherwise) and Eisenhower (the Little League coach and grandson of a President) were 440 paying guests, Dodger Stadium peanut vendor Roger Owens and Babe Ruth’s daughter, Julia Ruth Stevens.

Dodger Manager Tommy Lasorda, named by Nixon as the greatest National League manager of the current era, couldn’t make it. He was on an airplane with his last-place team en route to a game in Philadelphia.

The event also came just four days before the second anniversary of the opening of the Nixon Library, which at that time drew four former and current U.S. Presidents to the ribbon cutting. But Wednesday the really big names showed up.

Bob Feller, who as a 19-year-old Cleveland Indian struck out 18 batters in a game. Johnny (The Big Cat) Mize, who hit prodigious home runs in both major leagues. Harmon (The Killer) Killebrew, who slugged his way into the Hall of Fame with the Minnesota Twins.

And one of baseball’s most renown thieves: Maury Wills, who stole a then-record 104 bases for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1962.

Eisenhower wanted to know from Wills what it takes to be a winner. After Wills recounted how he toiled in the minor leagues, Nixon told him: “I thought . . . when he said, ‘What does it take to win?’ you’d say ‘steal.’ ” Everyone laughed.

Indeed, Nixon drew warm responses and much laughter from the assemblage, which was served lunch under an air-conditioned tent while youngsters and fans stayed beyond security ropes outside under a hot sun.

The former President said he learned much from baseball, some of which he carried into his personal and professional life.

For example, Nixon said, ever since getting Babe Ruth’s autograph in a New York restaurant in the 1940s, he has never turned down an autograph seeker. “If Babe Ruth can sign, I can sign.”

And from Connie Mack, the Philadelphia Athletics’ Hall of Fame manager, Nixon said, he learned to surprise the opposition.

“I always tried to do it as President. And we did on several occasions,” he said, stirring up more laughter.

Before lunch the baseball stars who showed up (nine of the 90 Nixon-Eisenhower all-stars) were paraded past more than 200 Orange County Little Leaguers who had been invited to stand behind the stars as they arrived.

The kids, who served as a photo backdrop for Nixon on the library steps, not only didn’t get lunch, but were told to wait a couple of hours if they wanted autographs. By the time lunch was over, most of the boys in their baseball uniforms had given up and gone home.

But inside the tent the goobers were gratis, as Roger Owens, who has made a name as the fancy-throwing peanut vendor at Dodger Stadium, strolled between tables, heaving bags of nuts to and fro, occasionally disturbing a white-haired lady’s salad plate.

“I’m the only pitcher in the major leagues,” wisecracked Owens, “who doesn’t make a million dollars a year. I work for peanuts.”

The appreciative paying crowd also was entertained by organist Nancy Bea Hefley--the same woman who plays between innings at Dodger Stadium--not to mention a brief but loud appearance by the USC Trojan marching band.

Not all the chatter had to do with baseball. Los Angeles attorney Keith Nashawaty stood in line at Nixon’s table for an autograph.

“I told him his book “Real Peace” was what I considered a primer growing up,” Nashawaty said. Nixon’s response?

“He said, ‘You’re a pretty young guy,’ ” the 26-year-old Nashawaty recounted.

The ceremonies were spiced with philosophy, insight and trivia.

It was disclosed that Nixon has all but subsisted on Western Bacon Cheeseburgers since arriving two days earlier from New Jersey.

And Eisenhower allowed that his grandfather, Dwight David Eisenhower, the 34th President, had played professional baseball under an alias so as not to jeopardize his football scholarship at West Point. “He needed the money,” the younger Eisenhower explained.

“Afterwards, he had to cover it up for four years because he violated the (West Point) honor code,” Eisenhower said.

Nixon, who left office amid impeachment charges of cover-up during the Watergate scandal, mixed politics and baseball. He pointed out that California Angels Manager Buck Rodgers was in attendance despite an accident in the team bus from which he is still recovering.

“He’s here in a wheelchair,” Nixon noted. “You can now see why I’m against busing.”

Nixon-Eisenhower All-Stars

Former President Richard M. Nixon and his son-in-law David Eisenhower revealed their all-star picks to a luncheon at the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace in Yorba Linda.

YANKEE ERA (1925-59)

Position National League American League First base Johnny Mize Lou Gehrig Second base Jackie Robinson Charlie Gehringer Third base Eddie Mathews George Kell Shortstop Ernie Banks Phil Rizzuto Outfield Stan Musial Babe Ruth Outfield Willie Mays Joe DiMaggio Outfield Mel Ott Ted Williams Designated hitter Rogers Hornsby Jimmy Foxx Catcher Roy Campanella Mickey Cochrane Pitcher Carl Hubbell Lefty Grove Pitcher Dizzy Dean Bobo Newsom Pitcher Warren Spahn Bob Feller Pitcher Robin Roberts Early Wynn Pitcher Elroy Face Satchell Paige Manager Branch Rickey Casey Stengel

THE EXPANSION ERA (1960-91)

Position National League American League First base Willie McCovey Harmon Killebrew Second base Joe Morgan Bobby Grich Third base Mike Schmidt Brooks Robinson Shortstop Maury Wills Luis Aparicio Outfield Hank Aaron Carl Yastrzemski Outfield Lou Brock Mickey Mantle Outfield Roberto Clemente Reggie Jackson Designated hitter Pete Rose Rod Carew Catcher Johnny Bench Thurmon Munson Pitcher Sandy Koufax Catfish Hunter Pitcher Juan Marichal Jim Palmer Pitcher Bob Gibson Whitey Ford Pitcher Steve Carlton Luis Tiant Pitcher Tom Seaver Rollie Fingers Manager Walter Alston Billy Martin

CURRENTLY ACTIVE PLAYERS

Position National League American League First base Will Clark Don Mattingly Second base Ryne Sandberg Roberto Alomar Third base Howard Johnson George Brett Shortstop Ozzie Smith Cal Ripken Jr. Outfield Tony Gwynn Rickey Henderson Outfield Darryl Strawberry Ken Griffey Jr. Outfield Andre Dawson Kirby Puckett Designated hitter Bobby Bonilla Jose Canseco Catcher Gary Carter Carlton Fisk Pitcher Dwight Gooden Nolan Ryan Pitcher Bret Saberhagen Jack Morris Pitcher David Cone Roger Clemens Pitcher Rob Dibble Rich Gossage Pitcher Lee Smith Dennis Eckersley Manager Tommy Lasorda Tony La Russa