East Room

12:07 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  What an enormous deal being right here for the World Champions.

Please, have a seat.  Thanks.  Thanks, thanks, thanks.

Effectively, welcome to the White Home — (applause) — the 2021 World Champion Atlanta Braves!  (Applause.) 

Bought some guys over there too.

I used to be telling the blokes in — again within the different aspect of the constructing that I married a Philly lady.  (Laughter.)  And he or she’s smarter than I’m, and he or she’s hell of so much higher trying.  And like each Philly fan, she’s satisfied she is aware of extra about all the things in sports activities than anyone else (inaudible).  (Laughter.)  And these guys beat the Phillies final night time 8-7.  (Laughter.)  I like them.

However, Boss, I believed I used to be going to be quarantined right this moment.  (Laughter.)

Anyway, I’ve to watch out how good I’m to those guys right this moment, and particularly since final night time.  (Laughter.)

We’re joined by so many associates from Atlanta, beginning with the previous Mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms.  Rise up, Keisha.  (Applause.)  Keisha now works full-time within the Government Workplace Constructing with me, and he or she’s one of the best.  She’s one of the best.  And he or she — she took over from Cedric Richmond, who was, as he says, a Morehouse Man, performed baseball at Morehouse.  He’s now on the Democratic State — Nationwide Committee.

We’ve additionally bought Mayor Andre Dickens. 

MAYOR DICKENS:  Proper right here.

THE PRESIDENT:  There you go, Mayor.  (Applause.) 

However I would like you to know — Lisa Cupid, the Cobb County Commissioner, she’s bought the stadium.  (Applause.) 

And from the Georgia Congressional delegation, Representatives Bourdeaux, Williams, and Carter are all right here.  Rise up, guys.  (Applause.) 

Atlanta is a good sports activities metropolis — American sports activities metropolis.  And the Braves are an enormous purpose for that.

This crew has actually been a part of the American historical past for over 150 years.  The one franchise to subject gamers in each single season since professional baseball started in 1870 [the 1870s].  It’s fairly wonderful.  (Applause.) 

My grandfather was an All-American soccer participant at Santa Clara, and he was a newspaper man up in Scranton, Pennsylvania.  His title was Ambrose Finnegan.  And when it was the Boston Braves, he didn’t prefer it.  (Laughter.)  However at any charge, that’s one other story.  (Laughter.)

They’ve all — this crew is outlined by the braveness of Hank Aaron, the House Run King and 25-time All-Star — (applause) — 25 instances.  And Hank Aaron shattered lots of data, however he shattered them in racism as properly, with dignity and with class. 

And, you understand, it’s been celebrated for fulfillment within the ‘90s — 5 instances World Collection — 5 instances World Collection in a decade; 14 straight division titles.  And now, the Braves will likely be without end remembered for the unstoppable, joyful run that this crew made final 12 months — and, I might say, “unbelievable” run on the time. 

It was a tough begin, tormented by accidents.  The All-Star break, not at some point of a profitable document.  Given a 0.4 % likelihood of profitable on CNN.  No, I’m solely joking.  (Laughter.)  I hearken to all the chances on CNN, you understand?  (Laughter.)  My batting common isn’t practically pretty much as good. 

At any charge — however the franchise by no means stop.  It by no means gave in.  You rebuilt the entire outfield virtually in a single day.  Play by play, inning by inning, you grinded and also you floor it out, and you probably did it collectively.

You made the playoffs and beat the Brav- — the Brewers and the Dodgers.  And then you definately beat the Astros to win all of it.  Endlessly referred to as the “Upset Kings of October.”  (Applause.)   One of many biggest — certainly one of historical past’s biggest turnarounds. First title in 26 years.

However none of it got here straightforward.  Folks counted you out.  Heck, I — I do know one thing about being counted out.  (Laughter.)  And I do know in Georgia, you present up when it counts.  (Applause.)  When it counts.  You by no means quit.  You by no means give in.  As my mom would say, “You retain the religion.”

This crew proved that Hank Aaron — what Hank Aaron as soon as mentioned.  He mentioned, “There isn’t any shortcut in life.  You need to take it one step at a time and work arduous.  And it’s a must to give it — give again.”

Effectively, you understand, this crew has performed all of it.  And that’s what this crew does on the sector and off the sector by the neighborhood service: it offers again, channeling its attain — its attain and sources to feed the hungry, help our veterans, give children a secure place to play, and a lot extra.

Bringing individuals collectively, inspiring us to do higher by the facility of your instance — that’s sports activities.  That’s America.  And that’s why I’m honored to host the 2021 Braves who’re right here on the White Home.  Fellas, congratulations.

And, Mr. Chairman, the ground is yours.  (Applause.) 

MR. MCGUIRK:  The very first thing I might say on behalf of all of my brethren behind me is: Wow.  What a thrill to be right here on the White Home.

I need to begin off paying a bit of little bit of a praise to our crew, as President Biden has simply performed.  They performed an extra-innings recreation final night time.  We bought in hours late from when — they’ve been doing lots of touring.  You can not imagine, at this level within the season, how drained they’re.  They gained 8-7 within the eleventh inning final night time.  (Applause.)

These guys — however — however what —

THE PRESIDENT:  I slept within the visitor room.  (Laughter.)

MR. MCGUIRK:  Because the President says, this group by no means quits.  It’s unbelievable.  It’s the metaphor of how we bought right here right this moment.

We’re — this group reveals up, does their job daily.  It’s an incredible group of males.  And — (applauds) — yeah.  (Applause.)

Again to President Biden.  Thanks a lot to your variety remarks.  On behalf of the complete Braves group and all of our gamers, we need to thanks formally for internet hosting us and celebrating the 2021 World Collection championship right here on the White Home.  We’re pinching ourselves.

And, Mr. President, I’d prefer to thank certainly one of our Atlanta associates, Keisha Bottoms — former mayor of Atlanta who’s in your employees.  Her helpfulness in getting this performed made it occur.  Thanks, Keisha.  (Applause.)

And because the President so aptly talked about, final 12 months’s championship was so particular, as a result of on August 1st, we had been enjoying under .500 ball, and we had been nobody’s decide for the postseason.

However due to some savvy strikes by Alex on the commerce deadline, which we all know properly, and the good management on the sector by Snit, we got here again and we gained our fourth straight division title, beating three unbelievable groups that the President has simply outlined — the Brewers, the Dodgers, and the Astros — on our method to profitable the 2021 World Collection championship.

You understand, a bit of apart: We nonetheless suppose we had a particular angel trying over us, having our not too long ago handed buddy, Hank Aaron, pulling the strings from on excessive.  There’s no query Hank was part of what we did.  And he’d have been there each step of the way in which with us if he was right here.  (Applause.)

In a couple of days, Mayor Dickens — a couple of days after we landed again in Atlanta, we welcomed 2 million followers alongside the parade route, which confirmed how the crew introduced everybody again collectively after the very attempting years of the COVID years.

And so, lastly, Mr. President, we’ve a really younger and really gifted roster, and we hope this isn’t a one-and-done go to to your own home.  (Laughter.)  Briefly, we plan to be again.  (Applause.) 

And now I’d like to ask our President of Baseball Operations, Alex Anthopoulos, and our supervisor, Brian Snitker, to current a particular present to the President from our crew.  (Applause.)

(The President is offered with an Atlanta Braves jersey.) (Applause.)

12:18 P.M. EDT