It seems like the American past-time has a place in American presidential visits.

It's funny how, despite the big talk of economics and jobs and all of the other things, there were a couple of references to baseball on the tongues of the attendees of President Barack Obama's speech Tuesday. Maybe it's just because it's the beginning of the season, but I thought it was funny.

The President of SUNY Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Alain Kaloyeros mentioned that the president was speaking on the 41st anniversary of the New York Mets being named, an event he said that set the state up for "40 years of disappointment," with a laugh (though for Mets fans it's a bitter chuckle).

Later, when I was talking to New York Sen. Roy McDonald, R-Saratoga (thanks anonymous), he said he has had two conversations with the last two US presidents, George W. Bush (He called him Bush Jr.) and Barack Obama.

“They were both fine people and it was an honor to talk to them,” he said. “Just think about the magnitude of what Bush and Obama had- 300 plus million people, how bout world peace? They had a few things on their table."

But McDonald said they were both down to earth. "I talked to them just like I'm talking to you," he said. "I was honored that in both conversations with both presidents, we ended up talking about baseball. Pres. Bush liked the Texas Rangers and Obama had the Chicago White Socks."

I did not bring up the fact that whoever these presidents like, they're in Yankee country here.