Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 7 › Conversation 007-087

Nixon phone call with Killebrew on Major League Baseball

Wednesday, August 11, 1971 · 11:10 AM–11:15 AM ET · White House Telephone · 5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Killebrew, HarmonConversation007-087 on Tape 7 (tape position 03:04:50–03:09:23)StartWednesday, August 11, 1971 at 11:10 AMEndWednesday, August 11, 1971 at 11:15 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 007-087 ↗

AI Summary

President Richard Nixon called Major League Baseball player Harmon Killebrew to congratulate him on reaching the milestone of 500 career home runs. The two discussed Killebrew’s recent recovery from a foot injury, the legacy of former Washington Senators players, and the player's enduring popularity with the Nixon family. During the conversation, the President offered words of encouragement and promised to send Killebrew a presidential golf ball as a token of his support.

Audio

Download MP3 · 6.3 MB

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Hello?
Mr. Harmon Killebrew is president.
Yeah.
Hello?
Hello.
Harmon?
Mr. President.
How are you?
I want to congratulate you.
I'm glad that when you went over the top, you didn't make a little thing of it.
You might have 501 also.
Well, thank you very much.
Well, it was a great thrill.
As a matter of fact, I was up in Maine over the weekend, and my David, whom you know, David Eisenhower...
who was one of your great fans.
And I said to him, now you watch that paper every day and I want to see when Harmon Killigrew bits his 500.
And then last night I was busy and I just picked up the morning paper here and by golly, there it was.
And you got two.
As a matter of fact, the thing that was rather ironic, you'd got one in that Homer contest you had with Willie Mays.
And I said, damn it, they should have counted that one.
But this is great, and it's a great day for you.
And the other thing I want to say is, and I was telling this to Bowie Kuhn the other day,
Not only are you in a select circle of 500, but you've really been a great credit to the game.
I mean, everybody around the league, you set a fine example for them and for the young people and the rest, and I want you to know that the whole country recognizes that.
Because, you know, the kids look up to the big stars, and the way that you've handled yourself and been a team leader and a team player has been great.
Well, I certainly appreciate that, especially coming from you.
It seems like it's been a long time since we were at Senator Walker's house that night.
Yeah, you remember when they're at Herman Walker's out on the street?
Yeah, when you were just starting back in 65.
And then, of course, we've... You still, incidentally, aren't you still first in terms of...
there's a statistic of uh number of number of times up when you uh hit or is it what do you call it number of number of home runs in terms of uh isn't that what is the number there david was telling me about some figure that he said where you were the all-time uh uh winner of that well i think babe ruth is the all-time leader and yeah it'd be hard for anybody to get ahead of him yeah
second until this year, and I don't know what it is now.
Yeah.
Well, after all, now you're past 13.
You're 14, right?
That's right.
Well, once you're past 13, you're on the way.
How are you feeling?
Well, I'm feeling better.
I had some problems.
My foot was bothering me for quite a while, and it's coming along a little better.
Did you get hit in the foot or something?
There was a bad throw at first base, and I
I tried to avoid hurting the first baseman and it came down on my foot and pulled the tendon under my toe.
Oh, boy.
Well, you know, that could make the very difference on your swing, don't you think?
Well, that has made a difference on my swing because I haven't been able to push off on my foot.
Yeah, but how is it now?
Better, much better.
But not completely well?
No, something like that's very difficult to heal, especially when you have to play on it.
Why don't you take off a little time?
The Twins are having a little difficult this year, and then you could come back.
Well, I did take off a few ballgames, and they impressed me here and there.
Well, anyway, the old Washington fans are all pulling for you, and we followed you through the years.
Tricia and Julie used to say Harmon Killebrew got another one.
In fact, you were the only one we could cheer for when you were here.
Well, I appreciate it.
I appreciate it.
Incidentally, when you're out there, be sure to give my best to Bob Allison, will you?
I was noted that he's now doing commentating.
I don't catch many games, you know.
I usually work in late.
And the other night, about 11 o'clock, I turned on, and here's Allison doing commentary.
Yes, he's been doing a pre- and post-game show for us and doing the cover on our television game.
Right, right.
Well, any of that and any of the old senators, you tell them we were so delighted to see one of our guys make it.
I really appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to give me a call.
Okay.
Do you, incidentally, are you playing a golf?
I play at it.
You do.
Well, I'll tell you, I can't send you a baseball, but I'm going to send you a presidential golf ball.
It has the presidential seal and a signature on it, and you can use it for holes in one.
Thank you.
Okay?
Thank you.
All right.
Bye.
Thanks for calling, Mr. President.

NARA Description

On August 11, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Harmon Killebrew talked on the telephone from 11:10 am to 11:15 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 007-087 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 7-87

Date: August 11, 1971
Time: 11:10 am - 11:15 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Harmon Killebrew.

[See Conversation No. 561-4B]

     The President's congratulations
          -Maine visit
                -[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II
                      -Hitting .500
          -Willie Mays
          -Talk with Bowie Kuhn
          -Killebrew

     Meeting at Herman Walker's house

     Killebrew's standings
           -Compared to George H. (“Babe”) Ruth

     Killebrew's health

     Support for Killebrew
         -Tricia Nixon Cox and Julie Nixon Eisenhower
          -Washington fans

     Killebrew's support for the President

     Bob Allison
         -The President's schedule
         -Commentary

     Washington Senators

     A presidential gift
          -Golf ball

Also recorded on August 11, 1971

  • 007-164 11:15 AM · 6 sec — the White House operator and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:15 am and 12:57 pm.
  • 561-005 11:40 AM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:40 am and 11:53 am.
  • 561-006 11:40 AM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:40 am and 11:53 am.
  • 561-007 11:40 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:40 am and 11:53 am.
  • 561-013 11:40 AM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:40 am and 11:53 am.
  • 561-008 11:53 AM · 59 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:53 am to 12:51 pm.
  • 561-009 12:51 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:51 pm and 12:57 pm.
  • 561-010 12:51 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:51 pm and 12:57 pm.

All 30 conversations from August 11, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 007-087, August 11, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/007-087 (accessed October 9, 2026).