Barbara Bush by Barbara Bush

Author:Barbara Bush
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scribner

* * *

I. An explosion in the U.S.S. lowa’s gun turret had killed forty-seven sailors on April 19 while the ship was participating in naval exercises near Puerto Rico.

18

Whirlwind First Year

By this time I knew one thing for sure: I had the best job in America. Every single day was interesting, rewarding, and sometimes just plain fun.

In May George W. invited me to Dallas to see the grandchildren and throw out the first pitch for a Texas Rangers baseball game. He had been part of a group of investors who had bought the team and was chosen to be one of two managing general partners.

I had another important task that trip: deliver the first of Millie’s pups to leave the nest to Jenna and Barbara. The girls named her after their favorite baseball payer, Scott Fletcher. Fortunately, they named the dog “Spot Fletcher,” for “Scott” was traded to another team shortly thereafter.

George W. had planned the best evening for me, and I was really touched. I wrote in my diary:

We started with a reception for the wives of the players, wives of the owners and some key women in the management. We had pictures taken and everyone was darling. On to the game and I was so excited. George knew every living human, almost seemed like all 38,000! He introduced me to the “best groundskeeper in the major leagues”; the “finest ticket-taker in any park”; and the “fastest hot dog vendor.” He knew them all.

(George W.) had Reading Is Fundamental posters everywhere and on everything. Jimmy Dean was there, and they ran our RIF (public service announcement) on and off during the whole game. George gave away 1,000 tickets to kids participating in the RIF program and handed out bookmarks with Texas Rangers on one side and RIF on the other to every single person who came. The ball I was to throw out had been signed by all the players and by the coach. Below their names they put their favorite books. I was crazy about Bobby Valentine, the coach. While waiting in the dugout, he and I talked. He told me that he always thought the greatest thing that could happen to a man was to throw a ball to his son. Then he said that was not true. “The greatest thing that could happen to a father is to sit with your arm around your son and read.” He went on to tell me that he and his son, Bobby, are reading The Wizard of Oz series. He tells me that he rushes home after practice and reads to his 5-year-old before the game. I loved that talk.

* * *

There is a footnote to the story about the signed baseball. Several weeks later I attended the Literacy Volunteers of New York’s annual fund-raiser. One of the participants was Larry McMurtry, and his Lonesome Dove was one of the books that had been written on the baseball (by a baseball player whose last name also was McMurtry, I might add).

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