For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 13, 2004
Fact Sheet: White House South Lawn Tee Ball
White House South Lawn Tee Ball June 13, 2004 - 4:00
p.m.
The Bolling Air Force Base Little League Cardinals
Washington, DC vs. The Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station
Devil Dogs Havelock Little League Havelock, NC
Program Participants
Play-by-Play Announcer: Joe Buck, FOX Sports
Honorary First Base Coach: COL Duane Jones, U.S. Air
Force, Commanding Officer, Bolling AFB Honorary Third Base
Coach: COL John Gumbel, U.S. Marine Corps, Commanding Officer
for NADEP, Cherry Point National Anthem Singer:
Tech. Sgt. Matthew Irish, U.S. Air Force, Associate Conductor, Singing
Sergeants, Bolling AFB Color Guard: Girl Scout
Troop #504, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland Game Ball
Presenters: Twelve-year old M'Lee Loney, from Clinton,
Maryland, and eleven-year old Kelly Ladd, from Andrews Air Force Base,
will hand President Bush the game ball. They are members of Girl Scout
Troop #504, based at Andrews AFB, and are daughters of active duty
military personnel stationed in Qatar. Troop #504 has donated and
shipped cookies to the U.S. military in Iraq, and performed many
community service projects to support the Fisher House at Andrews AFB,
including donating kitchen items, toiletries, and other essentials.
Volunteer Recognition: The President will
recognize Morgan Moore - of Lorton, Virginia, and Fort Belvoir - for
answering the call to service and for his dedication to helping
others. Morgan was named the 2004 Youth of the Year for Fort Belvoir
Youth Services. Morgan's community service projects include: Tutoring
at Fort Belvoir Youth Services; volunteering at King Street Cats, a
local adoption agency for animals; Operation Child Care to support the
National Guard and Reserve; and planting 43 American chestnut trees
with Fort Belvoir Youth Services 4-H Club for Arbor Day. Morgan's
mother is a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force.
Facts about the President's White House Tee Ball
Initiative
President Bush launched his White House Tee Ball Initiative to
promote interest in baseball and foster a spirit of teamwork and
service for America's youth. This is the fourth year of the
President's White House Tee Ball Initiative, and this is the first game
of the 2004 season. There were three games last year.
What is tee ball? Tee ball is the entry sport to
baseball for young players, generally four to eight years old. Tee
ball develops the primary baseball skills of hitting, running,
fielding, and throwing, and gives children solid teamwork experience.
Tee ball is played in every state and territory and in dozens of
countries around the world. Participation is estimated at 2.2 million
players - 65% boys and 35% girls. Members of two teams take turns
hitting a ball off a batting tee set on home plate. Batters try to get
on base and advance to home; fielders try to prevent that from
happening. The elimination of pitching allows children to participate
without the fear of being hit by a pitched ball. The players gain an
understanding of the fundamental rules, which allows minimally
competitive league play at all age levels.
Where exactly are the games played? On the southeast
corner of the South Lawn, near the fountain.
How are the teams selected? Teams are selected by
Little League Baseball in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Teams can be
nominated online at www.littleleague.org.
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