Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 829 › Conversation 829-018

Nixon & Hays on Woody Hayes and Ohio State University

Tuesday, January 2, 1973 · 8:45 AM–8:53 AM ET · Oval Office · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Hays, Wayne Woodrow ("Woody")Conversation829-018 on Tape 829StartTuesday, January 2, 1973 at 8:45 AMEndTuesday, January 2, 1973 at 8:53 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 829-018 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon dictated a congratulatory letter to Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes following the team's appearance in the Rose Bowl. The President lauded the competitive spirit of the team despite their loss to the University of Southern California and expressed confidence in Hayes's future leadership. Additionally, the correspondence included high praise for the Ohio State University marching band’s halftime performance.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

I have always liked your statement that, quote, show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser.
uh your team has a great deal to be proud of certainly nothing to be ashamed of a tremendous battle against
football has produced in many years.
Very apparent.
I'll see
under your leadership will come back.
To the Rose Bowl.
I'm sorry, but I predict Ohio State, under your leadership, will be back at the Rose Bowl before too long.
And I certainly wouldn't want to be coaching the team on the space that you want to have a kid in.
Eric, end it up, would you please extend my congratulations to the leader of the band, the Ohio State band.
They gave one of the finest performances I have ever seen.
And I haven't had a show very, very good.
Every good way for 1973, sincerely.

NARA Description

On January 2, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Wayne Woodrow ("Woody") Hays met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 8:53 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 829-018 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 829-18

Date: January 2, 1973
Time: Unknown between 8:45 am and 8:53 am.
Location: Oval Office

The President dictated a letter to Wayne Woodrow (“Woody”) Hayes.

       Hayes
            -Statement on losing
            -Congratulations
                  -University of Southern California [USC] game
            -Ohio State University’s football team
                  -Rose Bowl
            -Congratulations
                  -Ohio State Band
                        -Half-time show performance

Also recorded on January 2, 1973

  • 035-050 8:45 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 8:53 am.
  • 829-017 8:45 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John McKay met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 8:53 am.
  • 829-019 8:45 AM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 8:53 am.
  • 829-020 8:45 AM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 8:53 am.
  • 829-021 8:45 AM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 8:53 am.
  • 829-022 8:45 AM · 47 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 8:53 am.
  • 829-023 8:45 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Manolo Sanchez, and Gerald L. Warren met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 8:56 am.
  • 035-051 8:56 AM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Warren E. Burger talked on the telephone from 8:56 am to 9:03 am.

All 52 conversations from January 2, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 829-018, January 2, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/829-018 (accessed October 12, 2026).