Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 11 › Conversation 011-101

Nixon phone call with Weaver on Baltimore Orioles and 1971 World Series

Sunday, October 17, 1971 · 4:22 PM–4:23 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Weaver, EarlConversation011-101 on Tape 11 (tape position 02:39:22–02:40:52)StartSunday, October 17, 1971 at 4:22 PMEndSunday, October 17, 1971 at 4:23 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 011-101 ↗

President Nixon called Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver to offer condolences following the team's loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1971 World Series. The President praised the Orioles' competitive spirit and their historical achievement of winning 100 games for three consecutive seasons. Nixon specifically commended the performance of Frank Robinson and offered well wishes for the team's upcoming goodwill trip to Japan.

  • Baltimore Orioles
  • Earl Weaver
  • 1971 World Series
  • Baseball
  • Frank Robinson
  • Sports diplomacy

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Hello?
Yes.
Hello?
Earl, I know it's a tough time for you, but let me tell you that the Orioles played like champions when they lost, and I also admire your fighting spirit.
Well, let me tell you, I've lost a few, and I know that you don't get many calls when you lose, but boy, your fellows were great, and I saw the game yesterday on TV.
And that was one of the greatest, and the one today was.
It could have gone either way.
I tell you, Quayar and your boys are just fantastic.
Well, thank you very much.
And just tell the boys that they played like champions, and you'll get a great reception in Japan, too, I'm sure.
Well, we hope to represent the United States as well as...
Listen, I... We have a right to go on as world champions, but we'll go on as American League champions.
American League champions, and just one run away from the top, so...
And after all, as you pointed out, I guess no other team's won 100 games for three straight years in the American League, and there'll be another day.
Well, tell all those fellows that I must say, when I saw yesterday when Frank Robinson went to third and that won, and then I said, my God, if an old man can run like that, he's doing all right.
Fine, and good luck to you, Earl.
Fine, bye.

On October 17, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Earl Weaver talked on the telephone from 4:22 pm to 4:23 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 011-101 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 011-101

 Date: October 17, 1971
 Time: 4:22 pm - 4:23 pm
 Location: White House Telephone

 The President talked with Earl Weaver.

      Condolences
           -Defeat of Baltimore Orioles by Pittsburgh Pirates
           -Mike Cuellar

Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

              -Orioles trip to Japan
              -Frank Robinson
  • 011-099 4:18 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Danny Murtaugh talked on the telephone from 4:18 pm to 4:19 pm.
  • 011-100 4:19 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:19 pm and 4:22 pm.
  • 011-102 4:23 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:23 pm and 5:52 pm.
  • 290-001 5:46 PM · 59 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:46 pm and 6:09 pm.
  • 290-002 5:46 PM · 36 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 5:46 pm and 5:52 pm.
  • 011-103 5:52 PM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 5:52 pm to 6:09 pm.
  • 290-003 5:52 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:52 pm and 6:09 pm.
  • 011-104 6:09 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone from 6:09 pm to 6:13 pm.

Conversation 011-101, October 17, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/011-101 (accessed September 28, 2026).