He has a pronounced favorite

President Bush played host to some youngsters for tee ball on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday, and gave ESPN’s Karl Ravech a one-on-one interview after Ravech served as the game’s announcer.

A former owner of the Texas Rangers, Bush responded to a few questions about the steroids issue, saying it has “put a cloud” over the sport.

But when asked what he would do if he were commissioner, Bush didn’t tackle Barry Bonds or steroids, but game times.

“They need to start the All-Star game earlier,” he said. “There is a bunch of young Americans who miss it and a bunch of older guys, like me, who can barely stay awake past 9:30 p.m.”

Finally, Bush got a little fuzzy on the details when he made his postseason picks.

“I think Detroit will be in the World Series,” he said. “I think they’ll nose out Boston.... They’ve got the flame-thrower Zumala back.”

“Zumaya,” Ravech said, correcting the president on Joel Zumaya’s name. “Zumaya -- Zumala, Zumaya,” Bush said. “I think they’ll be pretty tough.”

Trivia time

What feat did Toby Harrah and Bump Wills of the Texas Rangers manage against New York Yankees pitcher Ken Clay on Aug. 27, 1977?

Better with age

The new Wayne Gretzky Estates “No. 99” wine was being served at the VIP party backstage at the ESPYs last week.

Sam Alipour, a writer for ESPN.com, complimented the Great One.

“I gotta say, I’m really digging your wine,” Alipour told him.

Gretzky, appearing confused, practically stammered, Alipour wrote.

“Well, um, yeah. She’s great. She’s my best friend, she’s the mother of my five kids, she looks beautiful ... “

Alipour had some explaining to do, and is probably lucky Gretzky has a boxful of Lady Byng trophies.

“I actually meant your ‘wine,’ not your ‘wife,’ ” Alipour said.

Finally, Gretzky laughed.

“Oh, man. That’s a relief,” he said. “I thought you were hitting on my wife.”

They grow up fast

By the way, Paulina Gretzky, Wayne and Janet’s 18-year-old daughter -- the oldest of the couple’s five children -- is a singer and model whose song “Collecting Dust” was featured on MTV’s “Laguna Beach.”

Anything for a ‘W’

Thanks to the University of Wisconsin, the kids at The Woodlands High School in the Houston suburb of the same name are looking for a new logo.

Somebody at Wisconsin thought the red, slanted “W” that The Woodlands uses was too similar to Wisconsin’s prized red, slanted “W.”

“They really shouldn’t be that outraged about the shape of that W. Seriously,” Michael Wagner, a senior at The Woodlands, told television station KTRK in Houston.

A Wisconsin official disagreed, telling KTRK the Badgers trademarked the “motion W” 11 years ago -- and that when other schools use the same one, it dilutes the identity and reduces the value to the university.

To protect its rights, Wisconsin has asked 40 schools in 26 states to change their Ws.

Come on, one more “W” against Michigan last football season and the Badgers probably wouldn’t have been stuck in the Capital One Bowl.

It has a ring to it

Electronic Arts -- or EA, as the video-game maker is better known -- announced that Jostens will produce special rings based on the levels players achieve on the upcoming “Madden NFL 08.”

Jostens has produced rings for 27 Super Bowl champions, in addition to millions of class rings.

Now, as if parents weren’t already concerned about youngsters staying in the house playing video games, kids can get championship bling without ever going outside.

The rings will be priced from $149 to $495.

And let’s correct ourselves: We know it won’t be only youngsters wearing those video-game rings.

Trivia answer

Harrah and Wills hit inside-the-park homers on consecutive pitches by Clay.

Thanks to reader David Macaray for the question.

And finally

Headline in the Philadelphia Daily News commemorating the Phillies’ record 10,000th loss:

“Distink Honor.”

robyn.norwood@latimes.com