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Pine Bluff slugger has All-American day Thursday, Jul 17, 2008 By Aaron Sadler Stephens Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - Riley Riggins had just finished playing tee ball in front of the president of the United States. At the White House. In the shadow of the Washington Monument. With major League all-stars as coaches and with a popular country music singer in the crowd. So what did 7-year-old Riley want to do? Eat a hot dog, of course. "Hot dog! Hot dog! Hot dog!" Riley, of Pine Bluff, said to his parents Wednesday after his tee ball game on the White House south lawn. It doesn't get much more American than baseball and hot dogs on a sunny summer afternoon at the White House, after all. Riley represented Arkansas at the tee ball doubleheader that featured one player from every state and the District of Columbia. He drew a quick admonishment from his mother, Lyndee, when he said a hot dog was more important to him than the baseball he had just been given by President Bush. Riley's South team played a group from western states in an exhibition where no score was kept. Every player got to bat once. Every player got to run the bases. In Riley's at-bat he sent an arching fly ball right to the glove of the second baseman from the West. It was the only time in the 30-minute game any player was put out on a fly ball. Riley said his hits are never caught like that in Pine Bluff, where he plays in a league at Benny Hatcher Field. Back home, he plays shortstop or third base. He spent some time at second base and at the pitcher's mound Wednesday. He said he wanted another chance at the plate since his favorite part of tee ball is "hitting the ball." The "All-Star" tee ball game was among several President Bush has hosted on the White House lawn since 2001. The president is an avid baseball fan and former owner of a Major League franchise. The teams' coaches included major leaguers John Smoltz and Kevin Millar, baseball Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg and former major leaguer and Batesville native Rick Monday. Another member of the Hall of Fame, Frank Robinson, served as "commissioner" for the day. Country star Kenny Chesney sang the National Anthem and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg, hosts of ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike in the Morning," were public address announcers. "There were more (celebrities) than I've ever seen at my ball park," said Ricky Riggins, Riley's father. It took an essay by a family friend to secure Riley the trip to Washington. The White House chose the roster for the game - the only one to include participants from every state - based on essays from youth league officials or teachers. Riley's essay was written by Mystic Goodman, who said Riley was raised around baseball and softball. Ricky Riggins is a longtime softball coach. "She watched Riley grow up at the ball park," Ricky Riggins said. "The (essay) talked about how he attended his first regional tournament softball game when he was four weeks old and how he grew up at the ball park. He was so spoiled around there that the umpires would give him balls out of their bag to turn in for candy. He lived at the ball park." Riley is a second grader in the Watson Chapel school district. He said his favorite Major League player is Torii Hunter, the Los Angeles Angels outfielder who grew up in Pine Bluff. |
