Gil liked Ike

Written by: Connor O'Gara

It was a moment Gil McDougald wouldn’t soon forget.

The Yankees' All-Star infielder of the 1950s and 1960s had the honor of catching the ceremonial first pitch from President Dwight D. Eisenhower at Opening Day of the 1956 season. After Eisenhower threw the first pitch, McDougald got the president to sign the ball. How could it get much better than an autographed baseball from the president?

There was just one problem. The President signed the ball, “To Joe McDougald, Best Wishes. President Eisenhower.”

The historic baseball was donated to the National Hall of Fame and Museum in 2012 by the McDougald Family. It was presented to the Hall of Fame by Gil’s daughter-in-law Lori and his grandson, Nathan.

Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States, was born on Oct. 14, 1890.

When McDougald passed away in 2010, artifacts from his playing days were distributed throughout his family. Gil’s wife and family decided that the Museum would be the best place to preserve the piece.

While President Eisenhower couldn’t remember McDougald’s name, the rest of the league did. McDougald won AL Rookie of the Year honors in 1951 playing alongside Hall of Fame outfielder Joe DiMaggio, who was in his final season.

The ’51 campaign marked the first of three straight World Series titles for McDougald and the Yankees. In 10 seasons, McDougald was a part of five World Series winners and and eight American League pennants squads.

McDougald, who developed a reputation for coming through in the clutch, delivered when the Yankees needed it most. Down three games to two to the Milwaukee Braves in Game 6 of the 1958 World Series, McDougald hit a game-winning homer off of Hall of Fame pitcher Warren Spahn in extra innings to even the series.

McDougald’s heroics fueled the Yankees’ comeback from down 3-to-1 to win the ’58 Fall Classic. By the time McDougald retired in 1960, he was a six-time All-Star and a main cog in Casey Stengel’s Yankee dynasty of the 1950s.

Connor O’Gara was the 2012 public relations intern in the Hall of Fame’s Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Youth Leadership Development.

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