WASHINGTON – The back yard of the White House was converted into a field of dreams for a group of 5- and 6-year olds from Newark, who battled a South Side Chicago club on opening day of President Bush’s South Lawn T-ball tourney.
No score was kept, no outs recorded – heck, shortcuts from second base straight home were even encouraged – as every member of the hip-high Newark Black Yankees got a hit and scored a run in the one inning game yesterday.
“My favorite part of the game is when I hit the ball,” a beaming Naji Loggins said.
The 6-year-old Loggins, missing both front teeth, aspires to be an FBI agent – a dream his family shouted to President Bush as the commander-in-chief presented Naji and each one of his teammates an autographed baseball after the game.
Yesterday’s game marked the kickoff of T-ball’s fifth season at the White House under Bush – a former owner of the major league baseball’s Texas Rangers.