President George W. Bush took Queen Elizabeth to her first baseball game in 1991, and the outing only lasted two innings.
A new book, written by Jean Becker, former chief of staff to the late Bush, sheds light on the exact moment the then-president realized the Queen was not enthralled by the game.
But his reaction was full of grace.
In Becker’s book, Character Matters: And Other Life Lessons From George HW Bushfeatures several major political figures, including President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Vice President Dan Quayle, as well as family members and White House staff.
Dorrance Smith, a member of Bush’s 41st White House staff, recalled the president telling him he had an idea.
‘We should take the Queen to an Orioles baseball game! “It’s our national pastime and I want to take it to Camden Yards,” he recalled Bush telling him.
President George HW Bush (second from right) extends his arms to the crowd at a Baltimore Orioles game where he brought Queen Elizabeth (center right) and Prince Philip (center left) during a state visit together to first lady Barbara Bush (right) in May. 15, 1991
Former White House aide Dorrance Smith said the game was so boring that President George HW Bush (left) was left “explaining scoreless innings, or a bloop single, or double plays” to Queen Elizabeth (right). ) during his brief visit to the Memorial. Stadium in Baltimore
Smith said he knew from past experiences that an “idea” was actually a direct order.
“Great idea, sir, let’s do it,” Smith said.
The state visit was scheduled for May 15 and the Queen was flown to Baltimore on the presidential helicopter, Marine One.
Jean Becker’s new book Character Matters and Other Life Lessons from George HW Bush is now on shelves
The 13347311 Orioles were playing the Oakland Athletics in the game.
At the time, Baltimore was the closest place to see a Major League Baseball game.
Washington, DC did not have its own team, and would not again until 2005, when the Montreal Expos moved and became the current team, the Washington Nationals.
The president and first lady Barbara Bush, along with Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, were given the owner’s box, meaning they had a front-row seat to watch the game.
“The problem was, well, there was very little action, which left the President in the role of explaining scoreless innings, or a bloop single, or double plays,” Smith wrote. ‘There were no Grand Slams for the Grande Dame. Our national pastime was proving to be our own obstacle: a complicated or uncomfortable situation. Patience really built character!’
The Queen noticed that Orioles third base coach Cal Ripken Sr. had twisted legs, Smith described.
He was pacing back and forth in front of the British monarch.
“He asked the president, ‘What is that gentleman doing?’ The president bravely said his job was to stop the runner at third base or tell him to continue home and score a run,” Smith said.
Queen Elizabeth (right) asked President George HW Bush (left) what Cal Ripken, Sr., the Orioles’ third base coach, was doing, and when Bush explained that he had to tell the runner whether to stay put or go to the dish, she responded: —Do you mean to tell me that that’s all her lot in life?
Members of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team meet with Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, and President George W. Bush and first lady Barbara Bush during a May 1991 visit to Memorial Stadium, the predecessor of Camden Yards.
Queen Elizabeth also greeted members of the opposing team, the Oakland Athletics, who ultimately won the game against the Orioles, but by then her majesty had already disappeared.
Prince Philip (from left), first lady Barbara Bush, Queen Elizabeth and President George HW Bush pose for a photograph at the state dinner that was part of the monarch’s visit to the White House in May 1991.
President George HW Bush (right) and Queen Elizabeth (left) pose for photographs on the South Lawn of the White House during the Queen’s state visit to Washington, DC in 1991.
“She said dryly, ‘Do you want to tell me that’s your lot in life?'” the White House aide recalled.
With that, Bush signaled to Smith that it was time to leave.
The president “turned, pointed at me, and twirled his index finger, the signal to launch Marine One.”
With that, they returned to the South Lawn of the White House.
‘What did I learn from this presidential misadventure? “Maybe even when you’re the most powerful person in the world, ideas don’t always work,” Smith wrote.
Ripken’s son, Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr., remembered the outing more fondly after Queen Elizabeth’s death in September 2022.
“It was such a memorable visit to Baltimore and brought so much excitement to our city and our team,” Ripken Jr. said. said in a statement. “I had the opportunity to meet her briefly and she was extremely friendly and engaging.”
“Baseball gave me a lot of special experiences and that was definitely one of them,” he added.
Character Matters: And Other Life Lessons from George HW Bush is on shelves now.