Chicago's Little League Champs Visit The White House
(CBS) -- Chicago's national champion Jackie Robinson West Little League All-Stars met with President Obama and the first lady at the White House Thursday.
The White House tour was a blur to All-Star D.J. Butler -- a lot of portraits and statues.
"It was wild," he said.
Little Leaguers Honored At White House
Mr. Obama wished the players continued success on the baseball diamond, but told them staying in school was more important.
Afterward, slugger Marquis Jackson admits to some "what if" moments and said he wished they could play South Korea for the world championship again.
"If we were playing our 'A' game, with our ace pitchers, I think we could have got them," he said. "They got us by four runs. We could have easily put up four runs."
But he said it felt good because you "have to be important" to be allowed to come to the White House and meet with the President.
This was not the team's first meeting with Mr. Obama. The president met with them during a visit to Chicago in October, at which time he promised them the White House visit. It's an invitation previous Little League national champions have not received.
Manager Darold Butler said that falling one win short of a trip to Williamsport, Pa., for the Little League World Series in 2013 whetted the team's appetite to do better. He said two of this year's All-Stars will be back in 2015.
He said the 9- and 10-year-old Little Leaguers in the Jackie Robinson West program are eager to take their places and consider this year's All-Stars to be "rock stars."
Butler won't be able to play for his father next year; he'll be too old. But it's clear that the White House visit is a moment he won't forget.
"It was cool. I don't know what else to say," he said.
