Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 9 › Conversation 009-133

Nixon phone call with Finch on Washington Senators and California Angels

Wednesday, September 22, 1971 · 6:55 PM–6:57 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Finch, Robert H.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Finch, Robert H.Conversation009-133 on Tape 9 (tape position 04:37:37–04:39:46)StartWednesday, September 22, 1971 at 6:55 PMEndWednesday, September 22, 1971 at 6:57 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 009-133 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Robert Finch discussed a public relations strategy following the departure of the Washington Senators baseball team. Nixon directed Finch to coordinate with California Angels owners Gene Autry and Robert Reynolds to establish a new tradition where the President throws out the first pitch at his home team's opening game. To facilitate this, they planned to lobby American League officials Bowie Kuhn and Joe Cronin to adjust the league schedule to ensure the Angels' home opener aligns with the President's availability.

Washington Senators
California Angels
Major League Baseball
Public Relations
Presidential Traditions
Gene Autry

Audio

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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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Bob.

Yes, sir.

Bob.

Yes, sir.

I had a couple of thoughts that would be interesting to you.

You may have heard that I told, Ziegler put out, that none of the senators have left Washington, that I'd be an Angel fan.

Yeah, I thought that was a good line.

Yeah.

Now, I just talked to Ziegler, but he may call you, but... Yeah, he has a call in for me.

Yeah, but let me tell you what it's about.

I want you to call Bob Reynolds and Gene Autry and tell them that the president...

I think this is a very significant thing.

For 71 years, presidents, and oh, going clear back to William Howard Taft and all the rest, Theodore Roosevelt had thrown out balls in Washington.

The president is in effect said now that with this change that each president should throw out the ball in the park of his home team.

Now, what they have to do is to change the American League schedule so that the first game, you see, the way Washington always played the first game,

We'll be in Anaheim Stadium.

Right.

See?

And I'll come to throw out the ball, and I agree to do it.

See?

All right, sir.

So I think it's a very good thing.

And for them to build that up, you know, among the league and the rest, and for them to tell Bowie Kuhn and Joe Kern and the rest, that's what we want.

all right what do you think i think it's a great idea and uh just sort of the feeling the feeling you know of being for being for your home team and all the rest don't you think it's good no and there was speculation about it all day just the fact that ron had you know had thrown that one line out yeah so then they said well gee does that mean and uh aesthetic does that mean that he's gonna make a commitment to that's right you know they they just

So the thing is... You can say that first I will come to the Angels' opening game, but the Angels should make it a capital case that their opening game...

It's going to be in Anaheim.

The President's opening game must be in Anaheim, and you know it must be the day before the league starts.

That's right.

See, it's like the Washington opening game.

And I'll fly there to go throw the ball out.

See?

Yes, sir.

Okay.

It's really a big deal.

I think it's great.

Okay.

All right.

Bye.

NARA Description

On September 22, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Robert H. Finch talked on the telephone from 6:55 pm to 6:57 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 009-133 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 9-133

Date: September 22, 1971
Time: 6:55 pm - 6:57 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Robert H. Finch.

[See Conversation No. 279-47]

     Sports
          -Washington Senators' departure
              -Ronald L. Ziegler
                    -California Angels
                          -Finch's call to [Orvon] Gene Autry and Robert O. Reynolds
                               -Opening games
                                      -Past Presidents
                                            -William H. Taft
                                            -Theodore Roosevelt
                                      -The President
                                            -Home stadium
                                      -Change in American League schedule
                                            -Bowie K, Kuhn
                                            -Joe Cronin

Also recorded on September 22, 1971

009-131 6:49 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 6:49 pm to 6:51 pm.
009-132 6:51 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:51 pm and 6:55 pm.
279-044 6:51 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:51 pm and 6:55 pm.
279-045 6:51 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:51 pm and 6:55 pm.
279-046 6:51 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:51 pm and 6:55 pm.
279-047 6:55 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Robert H. Finch met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:55 pm to 6:57 pm.
009-134 6:57 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:57 pm and 7:03 pm.
279-048 6:57 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:57 pm and 7:03 pm.

All 84 conversations from September 22, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 009-133, September 22, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/009-133 (accessed October 12, 2026).