Dwight Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States, had a deep love for baseball and was once quoted as saying “When I was a small boy in Kansas, a friend of mine and I went fishing and as we sat there in the warmth of the summer afternoon on a river bank, we talked about what we wanted to do when we grew up. I told him that I wanted to be a real major league baseball player, a genuine professional like Honus Wagner. My friend said that he'd like to be President of the United States. Neither of us got our wish.” Eisenhower’s love for the game nearly cost him his military career and possibly his political career.

Prior to joining West Point, Eisenhower played for the Junction City Soldiers of the Class D Central Kansas League in the summer of 1911. Due to NCAA amateur rules outlawing players playing for money, Eisenhower suited up under an assumed name – Wilson to avoid NCAA scrutiny. Ike was also able to avoid being found out by the Army, as it would have violated the Code of Ethics, resulting in a dishonorable discharge. Eisenhower ultimately did not make the West Point baseball team and hurt his knee severely playing football. The rest, as they say, is history.

Offered here is an Official National League Warren Giles baseball that has been signed on the stamped side panel and sweet spot by Dwight Eisenhower. Eisenhower’s signature starts just to the right of the “Spalding” stamp on the side panel and runs across the adjacent sweet spot in blue ballpoint pen. Eisenhower attended many baseball games throughout his 8-year term from 1953-1961, including 12 games in Washington, D.C. watching the locally based Washington Senators. Eisenhower was also in attendance for Game 1 of the 1956 World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Giles served as National League President from 1952-1969 during the entirety of Eisenhower’s two terms as president, so it’s possible that this baseball was signed by Eisenhower during one of those visits. This ball displays toning and slightly faded stampings, but the signature is still clear. A wonderful piece of baseball and presidential history and this item comes with a LOA from JSA (BB21011) for Ike’s signature.

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