The President. This is going to be the scene of a lot of real action. Marlin, do you think this would be an appropriate time to mention the first exhibition match?
Q. Yes.
The President. It has nothing to do with betting. This is a very important announcement: that this spring sometime a match that was rained out last year is going to be played here. And the players are Pam Shriver and Chris Evert versus Marvin Bush and Neil Bush. These women, confident of their own ability, have suggested that the Bush boys will not get over two games a set. And yesterday Chris Evert renewed the bet, renewed the challenge.
I am absolutely confident that the Bush boys will get over two games a set. [Laughter] And reliable tennis authorities, like Jeff Austin, the brother of Tracy Austin, thinks that those two Bush boys have a reasonable chance to beat Chris Evert and Pam Shriver. And there's going to be a tremendous match right here on this court as soon as spring is here. And it's going -- --
Q. What's the -- --
The President. Did you get all that down? It is 6 - 2, 6 - 2, and it's Evert and Shriver versus Bush and Bush. [Laughter] That's true. They are dead serious.
Q. What's the prize?
The President. Well, we don't bet on the White House grounds. I don't know what's going on on the off-the-record kind of a thing. I'll tell you there's going to be a lot of hostility on this one, a lot of -- building. The pressure's mounting.
Q. Where are you going to put the horse-shoe pit?
The President. We're looking for the horseshoe place right now.
Note: The President spoke at 11:40 a.m. on the South Lawn of the White House. In his opening remarks, he referred to Marlin Fitzwater, Assistant to the President and Press Secretary. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these remarks.
George Bush, Remarks and an Informal Exchange With Reporters During a Walk With Family Members Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/247468