The Presidents and the Pastime: The History of Baseball and the White House

by Curt Smith

The Presidents and the Pastime draws on Curt Smith’s extensive background as a former White House presidential speechwriter to chronicle the historic relationship between baseball, the “most American” sport, and the U.S. presidency. Smith, who USA TODAY calls “America’s voice of authority on baseball broadcasting,” starts before America’s birth, when would‑be presidents played baseball antecedents. He charts how baseball cemented its reputation as America’s pastime in the nineteenth century, such presidents as Lincoln and Johnson playing town ball or giving employees time off to watch. Smith tracks every U.S. president from Theodore Roosevelt to Donald Trump, each chapter filled with Wilson buoyed by baseball after suffering disability; a heroic FDR saving baseball in World War II; Carter, taught the game by his mother, Lillian; Reagan, airing baseball on radio that he never saw—by “re-creation.” George H. W. Bush, for whom Smith wrote, explains, “Baseball has everything.” Smith, having interviewed a majority of presidents since Richard Nixon, shares personal stories on each. Throughout, The Presidents and the Pastime provides a riveting narrative of how America’s leaders have treated baseball. From Taft as the first president to throw the “first pitch” on Opening Day in 1910 to Obama’s “Go Sox!” scrawled in the guest register at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014, our presidents have deemed it the quintessentially American sport, enriching both their office and the nation.  Purchase the audio edition.

Genres: Baseball, History, Sports, Presidents, Nonfiction, Politics

504 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2018

Reviews

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two of the most American of institutions are the Presidency and the game of baseball. They have been intertwined together for over a century – from Abraham Lincoln playing “town ball” to Barack Obama writing “Go Sox!” in the visitor book at the Baseball Hall of Fame, there are many stories of what the game has meant to Presidents. They are captured in this wonderful book by Curt Smith, a former speechwriter for George H.W. Bush.

Every story that has been passed down through the generations is shared here. The book may disprove a myth such as William Howard Taft inventing the seventh inning stretch, which did not happen. It may explain in more detail about well-known events as Commissioner Landis did offer to suspend baseball before Franklin Roosevelt wrote the “Green Light Letter”. Or, the reader may learn a new fact like this: Calvin Coolidge was not the baseball person in his family as that was his wife Grace who was the scorekeeper at the University of Vermont and kept a perfect scorecard at each game she and her husband attended. Even bigger surprises may be found in the book, such as learning that Donald Trump was actually a good ballplayer.

One other interesting fact is that the first President to attend a baseball game at any level was Andrew Johnson. Also in the nineteenth century, Benjamin Harrison became the first President to attend a professional baseball game. Once the calendar turns to the 20th century, Smith covers each president from Theodore Roosevelt to Donald Trump by describing not only that man’s connection to baseball, but also a little bit about each man’s term in office and the accomplishments.

The book stays politically neutral with two notable exceptions. One is that Smith has much respect for his former boss as he looked fondly back at George H.W.Bush. The best baseball story for him is a “summit” he called in 1991 with Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio to honor the 50th anniversary of their achievements of 1941 – Williams hitting .406 and DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streak. Why this was called a “summit” is that after the speeches in the Rose Garden, the President and his two guests flew to Toronto in Air Force One to meet Canadian Prime Minister before that year’s All-Star game.

The one area where there is really no neutrality is that Smith felt that when Washington D.C. lost its major league team (twice) Presidents Eisenhower and Nixon did not do enough to stop the teams from leaving. They were the men in the White House when the first team left after the 1960 season for Minnesota and the second team, an expansion team awarded to Washington to ease the pain, left after the 1971 season.

This is just a very small sample of the many stories connecting baseball and the presidency. Even Presidents whose reputation for sport lies elsewhere, such at Theodore Roosevelt and Gerald Ford in football, the reader will lean how each president has a baseball connection. This book is rich with so many stories, it is one that is very hard to put down. Baseball fans, history buffs and political junkies will all love this book.

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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[Cristie Underwood]

Awesome book! It was interesting to read about how important baseball was to the Presidents, despite political affiliation. This book reinforced the idea that baseball is America’s pastime!

[Ed Dorsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

My two favorite subjects to read about are Presidential biographies and baseball, so this was a natural like for me. Curt Smith was a speechwriter for Bush 41 and written about baseball announcers on radio and TV. Each chapter is about a President and a team he was a fan of or lived near starting with William Howard Taft and ending with The Donald. Well Done! I should also mention that Smith uses the Trump chapter to discuss what he thinks is wrong with baseball as played by MLB, and I think he was spot on. The ball is no longer in play enough during the game which takes much longer. No national TV with great announcers for game of the week on network TV as cable has become a major revenue source.

[Eric Pugliano · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love both Presidential and baseball history, so when I received this book, I thought this would be a great merging of two of my interests. But as I read, I swung back and forth between enjoying and trying to slog through this book. What really didn't work for me was the format of how the parallel histories of the White House and Baseball were presented. I can see what Smith was trying to do: present the history of baseball and America during a president's administration, including the President's personal history, so that the reader could be well informed on everything. But for large sections of this book, it felt like a was reading either a book on baseball's history or a biography of a president. It was like Smith took two books and shuffled them like a deck of cards. This is disappointing, because the writing on each subject was well done and I learned a lot, particularly about baseball's history. It just didn't flow as a book and felt like Smith was trying to shoehorn a lot of information on two distinct topics into one storyline.

That being said, there was a lot of great writing on the book's intended narrative: the relationship between Baseball and the President. The evolution of the President's first pitch, baseball in Washington D.C., and the relationships that presidents had with individual players (i.e. Bush 41 and Ted Williams) and teams (i.e. Carter and the Atlanta Braves) were great to learn about. Some of baseball's great moments were also in here, such as GWB throwing the first pitch after 9/11, Clinton in the booth for Cal Ripken's record-breaking appearance, and Atlanta winning the Sid Bream game. It's just a shame that a lot of this interesting information was buried by information that wasn't really relevant to the intersection of Baseball and the Presidency.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

On October 30th, 2001, President George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch of Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium. It was a powerful moment, a symbolic step forward in recovering from the trauma of 9/11 only weeks before. American presidents have had a long history with baseball, and in The Presidents and the Pastime, Curt Smith tells a bit of that story while getting a little lost in the outfield. Although this book is in dire need of editing and organization — being a mix of biographical and presidential history that just happens to have baseball as a persistent element — for lovers of the game it’s a fun angle on the sport’s history.

While George Washington and John Adams played precursors of baseball, and Lincoln has connections – both mythic and otherwise – to the sport, Smith’s history proper begins with President Taft. Taft was an enormous fan of the game and initiated the tradition of presidents throwing out a ceremonial first pitch. From here, we move mostly forward with a lot of lateral meandering. Most presidents since Taft have been fans of the game, with the biggest exception being Teddy Roosevelt, and several have played the game themselves at the high school and collegiate level. Dwight Eisenhower even played semi-pro ball briefly under an assumed name, but this was kept hush-hush because he played collegiate ball for West Point after the fact, technically violating the Point’s rules governing their athletes. Richard Nixon and George W. Bush compete for baseball’s biggest booster: Nixon watched more in-person games in 1969 than LBJ managed in his entire presidency, and prior to becoming president he’d been offered the job of Major League Commissioner. Bush, in addition to having an ownership stake in the Texas Rangers, also considered becoming Commissioner at one point but followed his father’s path instead. Ronald Reagan had a unique relationship with the game, broadcasting baseball in the days when announcers were dependent on telegraphy updates to “recreate” the game: in one memorable instant, Reagan’s line went dark, and young Dutch had to ad-lib foul balls for the listening audience until service was restored. Some presidents followed Washington’s team, others like Obama clung to their hometown favorites. (Once, while throwing a ceremonial first pitch at Nationals game, Obama concealed a White Sox cap in his glove and then popped it on upon taking the mound.) The book ends with Trump, but since it was published a year into his presidency, there’s not much to say – aside from the revelation that he was scouted by the Phillies and the Red Sox during his high school baseball days!

If this book consisted solely on the presidents and baseball, it would be perhaps a third of its length at best. Instead, biographies of the presidents, histories of political and global events, game play by plays, and team histories are all present here. It’s almost stream of consciousness sometimes, Smith frequently going off on side trails. Where might you guess a history of Ty Cobb and the 1910s Detroit Tigers might appear in a book on presidents and baseball? Try the chapter on Gerald Ford, where it’s joined by a discussion of historic Tiger Stadium and its loss to progress. A page devoted to Yogi Berra? In the opening section on George W. Bush. I didn’t notice this as much in Memories from the Microphone, and I think that owes to the fact that I experienced it as an audiobook, and being from the South I am accustomed to storytellers and preachers starting one story and delivering six more before they find their end to the first. Smith has that same peripatetic patter, but on the the page it’s more distracting – we jump through decades, there and back again, and sometimes one president will wander through another president’s chapter, and the same event is sometimes trotted out multiple times, like Perot’s role in the ’92 election. As far as politics goes, Smith was a speechwriter for “Poppy“, so he no doubt has his biases, but the narrative was more patriotic than anything else, the bright sides of each president being highlighted rather than their shortcomings. The book was great fun for me, but the narrative felt a bit like trying to ride a bull.

In short, this is an entertaining book to read, though it requires a reader who has solid interest in both presidents and baseball, not to mention patience. I enjoyed it, though, despite the frequent digressions — especially insasmuch as it revealed the presidents’ human sides. When one thinks of Nixon, the image is usually of dark, dour, troubled Nixon — not a man who has come alive, grinning like a little kid because the action on the diamond has just made him forget Vietnam, his political rivals, everything but the crack of the bat, the run, the fielding. The same goes for Clinton: I find it difficult to think plainly about the presidents of my childhood (HW Bush and Clinton), but the passage in which he derailed a professional broadcast by turning into a fanboy and screaming at the hitter to go, go, go, — drowning out the announcer’s mic — was hilarious. While this book definitely needed more editing/organization, it was still a delight.

[Zach Koenig · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who has read a book about each individual U.S. President AND is a huge baseball fan, you'd think "The Presidents and the Pastime" would almost be automatic "best book of all time" territory for this reader. While it does contain a trove of information and interesting stories, its formatting and writing style often make it a difficult read.

For a very basic overview, "Presidents & Pastime" syncs up each Presidential administration going back to Teddy Roosevelt (early 1900s when the modern major leagues began). For every Commander In Chief from the point, each chapter is a mix of Presidential bio, what was going on in MLB at the time, and how (or if) the President interacted with it.

Like I said, if you stick this one out all the way to the end you'll glean some interesting stories from it. It is certainly an interesting prism through which to view both baseball and politics simultaneously. It really shows how both Oval Office & MLB have changed in 110+ years.

The overriding problem with "Pastime", however, is that I found it to be extremely over-written--filled with flowery language far too haughty for the subjects at hand. Perhaps that is just the Curt Smith style--if so, it simply isn't my cup of tea. For a book that spits a lot of info at a reader as-is, having to navigate through language you might find in a 19th century novel doesn't help enjoyment or comprehension.

I also wish Smith had stuck to the time period denoted at the beginning of each chapter. Instead, a chapter on, say, Eisenhower might contain material years before/after that figure. I know the overall goal was likely tapestry-weaving context, but instead I found the result to be more confusing than enlightening.

Overall, I'd give this book a straight-down-the-middle 2.5 stars out of 5. I'll round up because it does contain some interesting stories and I felt it picked up the closer it got to present-day Presidents, but because of the dense prose and time-jumping I can really only recommend it even in small fashion to hard-core MLB or Presidential scholars.

[Scott Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 Stars) (Audiobook) This work combines two of the most American of concepts: Baseball and the US Presidents. Going all the way back to US Grant and continuing on until the advent of Donald Trump, this work looks at the relationship between various presidents and baseball. For some, it was a significant deal, being involved with baseball, whether as a player and/or as the "first fan". For others, baseball was something that was tolerated, but not a major part of life. It was interesting to see how the author, a former political figure, described the interaction between the US Presidency and the game of baseball.

While there was a lot to cover and learn, at times, the books was not as well organized as it could have been. A chapter might start with the president in question, and then describe said president and his interaction with baseball, but then, the author seemed to go on various tangents, discussing how some of the seasons went and then tying it back to the president in office, only to then go back to the recap of a specific baseball season. In that respect, it could make listening/reading the book more difficult than necessary. There could have been some more attention to format/detail.

That being said, if you like politics, history and sports, this is one of those books that you should try for at least once in your life. Getting past the disorganization in the format, there is a lot to learn and savor. The narrator is solid with the material, but it would help with better organization of what is presented. Maybe not a must-buy/repeat read, but worth some time for a read/listen.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard book to discuss. Smith, who was a Bush-41 speechwriter, is an excellent writer and obviously can write with intelligence about both the American presidency and baseball. But his back-and-forth leaps between subjects feels stretched, particularly when he talks about a team or a player out of chronology with the Presidency that led into the discussion. What he's trying to do makes sense-- I read Paul Dickson and William Mead's much thinner The President's Game on the same topic, but where Dickson and Mead literally chronicled the overlap of the two subjects, Smith works too hard to tell two different stories in one book.

It's probably a matter of minor significance, but I also felt that while Smith was relatively fair to his assessment of Presidents earlier in the book, that he got more than a tad hero-worshippy of both Bushes and meanwhile pulled more than a couple punches at Clinton and Obama. Of course, both Bushes were baseball men, which could account for some of the handling of the matter.

This book is far from a bad book-- there's a ton of information, and even well-read scholars will find a few surprising moments in here. But I came away a little disappointed, both with the sprawl of the book, the sometime lack of unity, and the inability to stay balanced on recent leaders.

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free Kindle copy of The Presidents and the Pastime by Curt Smith courtesy of Net Galley  and University of Nebraska Press, the publisher. It was with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and my fiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus pages.

I requested this book as I am a fan of baseball and american history and the description made this book sound interesting. This is the first book by Curt Smith that I have read.

I had high hopes for this book, but the author's writing style and tendency, particularly in the latter chapters where the reader is more familiar with the subject, to drone on made this a less enjoyable read than it could have been. The book covers the span of Presidents from Lincoln to Trump and does reveal some new information, but most of it is well known  to hard core baseball fans.

I suggest that if you decide to read this book that you take it in small doses over a period of time as it can get mind numbing if one tries to read it in a brief period of time.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an exhaustive work about both the game and the occupant of the office. Beginning before America’s birth, when would‑be presidents played baseball antecedents. He charts how baseball cemented its reputation as America’s pastime in the nineteenth century, such presidents as Lincoln and Johnson playing town ball or giving employees time off to watch. Smith tracks every U.S. president from Theodore Roosevelt to Donald Trump, each chapter filled with anecdotes.

It is not for the casual reader. It is for readers who are passionate and knowledgeable about either baseball or the presidency, combining the two to examine how baseball and the presidency have interacted through the life of the republic.

Its informative and amusing in parts. Unfortunately a bit disjointed and slow, as well.

[Joel Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding!!!

Curt Smith can sure write baseball!! Wonderfully written. the history of the game is clearly outlined through the presidents. Not just a history lesson in baseball but also in American presidential history.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book showing the love of baseball that several of our 20th century to present Presidents have cultivated throughout their lives. The book details America's love of baseball is intertwine in some of the greatest moments in our U.S. History.

[Kimberly Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were definitely parts of this that were interesting; however, I'm not a huge baseball fan, so some of the information was lost on me. I did enjoy learning more about the presidents, though, and I'm glad to have been exposed to such literature, thanks to my Bestie.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good (but long) book about US Presidents and baseball. It was as a great read with lots of great information on how the two live up to each other.

[Barry Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A near perfect blend of the history of baseball and the White House.

[Kimberly Lou · Rating 2 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed some of this book, but there was a good bit that I struggled through, probably because I'm not an avid baseball fan.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Are you interested in the Office of the President in the United States? Are you interested in the sport of baseball? If you answered yes to both of these questions, or even just one of them, then this book is for you. From stories you probably know like the first presidential first pitch and George W. Bush's first pitch in a post 9/11 United states, to the lesser known disdain Teddy Roosevelt had for baseball, you will learn quite a bit about how MLB and the president have interacted throughout time.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating and enjoyable -- albeit long-winded -- stroll through two centuries of baseball and presidential history. For you're not just getting stories and anecdotes about the American presidents and their connection with baseball, you're also getting a treatise on the development of the game, from rules changes to historic stadia to franchise moves to cable television. You'll learn that one of the Roosevelts never cared for baseball (he considered it a sissy game); that Abe Lincoln might have been the original Sultan of Swat; and that Truman could throw out the first pitch on opening day with both his left and right arms. Even more interesting , you'll find out that some first ladies, notably Bess Truman and Pat Nixon, were addicted to the game. Bess even kept her own scorebook. The best recommendation is to treat this book like a 162-game season, and delve in and out of it over the course of the summer. That's in part because the latter chapters are way too long, especially since most readers will already be familiar with much of the material covered from Reagan onward. You'll have to pace yourself, just like pitchers in the bygone era of complete games did for all nine innings.

[Zack · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first saw this title and description I was pretty excited to read it. Politics and baseball go hand in hand, and given Curt Smith's background (writer for Bush 41), this should have been phenomenal. However, much of the book is disjointed. The first third of the book, all the chapters before Eisenhower, lack a coherent logic and flow. These chapters had the potential for something amazing to happen - with the increase in popularity of baseball after the civil war in tandem with the rapid growth and development of the U.S. leading into the world wars, this section of the book could have had a grand arc with wonderful development and description, instead it is largely glossed over with trivia and data. The second third of the book is a mixed bag - the chapters on the Republican presidents (particularly Reagan and Bush 41) are eloquent, thoughtful, insightful, and have a beautiful connection between the presidents and the national pastime. However, the chapters on the Democratic presidents tend to have a number of petty, childish, partisan swipes at their administrations and their character, and as a result the writing suffers. While this is not surprising (as Smith is a partisan himself), it is disappointing in a book with this type of focus. Had Smith written with the same verve and elan as he did for the late 20th century Republicans, this book would have been a classic; it would have been a must read for any baseball fan. However, we are only left to lament what might have been.

[montogma25]

Overall, the Presidents and the Pastime did a terrific job weaving in how baseball affected the White House. I learned so much about each president and how they viewed the sport. However, I will say that the book is really long and might actually contain a bit too much information in it. It might have been better if it was separated into two volumes instead of just one book. There was a lot of information to take in. The book also did some time jumping which made it difficult to follow which president the book was focusing on. Despite all of this, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and am planning on recommending it to the library where I work when I get the chance to.