President of the United States George H.W. Bush speaks at White House event to celebrate the 1991 World Series Champion Minnesota Twins.

Transcript:

Let me welcome the authors of that championship season: the 1991 Minnesota Twins. A team that helped deepen America's love affair with baseball. It is absolutely wonderful what this ball club did for sports and for the spirit in our country. You showed why baseball is the most democratic of sports. It's also the most Republican of sports, but whether in the, in the Major Leagues are Little League, what counts is the size of your heart and your dreams.

And in 1990--I don't want to remind him of this--they didn't have their best year. They came in last in the West, American League West. And this year they rose like Lazarus to win their division, beat Toronto in the playoffs, and then came the 88th World Series. And what a series it was: five games decided by a single run, three went extra innings, five games won in the last inning, and four in the last at bat. It was a series of indescribable tension; a fall classic for all time.

And let me take a moment, incidentally, to talk about that other team in the World Series. What a season it was, also, for the Braves. What a tribute to character, to human character. They, too, went from worst to first. They, too, captivated us and they made us hope that the series, like the season itself, would never draw to a close.

Sadly. both now are over; but what memories you have given us. Of infielders: Chuck Knobloch and Greg Gagne, who I gather is not with us today. Chuck here. I think it was Abe Lincoln who said, "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time," but it took Gagne and Knobloch to fool a baserunner one time.

We... we recall Brian's, Brian, Brian Harper's clutch hits, Kirby Puckett's game six: a winning home run and that circus catch near the wall. Suddenly Kirby's glove has become more valuable than Michael Jackson's and ah, and ah...

And Kent Hrbek's brilliance in the field. I'm not, I refuse to be drawn into that controversy and comment on the play when Kent tagged Ronnie Gant after Gant came off first base. But Barbara asked me to point out to Kent that she could use some help around the house with heavy lifting.

And finally... finally, we think of other moments that made this series of snapshots of the mind: Dan Gladden's 10th inning game 7 hustle, Gene Larkin coming off the bench. We recall Tom Kelly managing furiously against Bobby Cox, one of the greatest bull pens in baseball history. And Jack Morris winning two games, including a final game shutout, and thrilling the game's most eardrum popping fans. And perhaps, Mr. Morris the series most valuable player put it best of all: "It's unfortunate that anyone had to lose this series because this was a true classic in every sense of the word."

So each of you made this a kaleidoscope of beauty. Each showed why millions of Americans watch baseball; listen to, read about, debate it. And why, for a few golden days each October, each of us becomes a self anointed expert. And that wonderful friend, Fay's friend and I'm proud to say mine, the late Bart Giamatti once wrote that baseball is designed to break your heart. Ah, true. But it also lifts as perhaps no sport can. So really, thank you guys for the memories, for coming to the White House on this spectacular day, for giving our country a wonderful lift, and God bless you and the rest of our country as well. Thank you all very, very much.