Jim Williams » Gregory is a man for all seasons

On Monday, “Meet the Press” moderator David Gregory, right, will be trading his panel of newsmakers for a microphone at Nationals Park as the master of ceremonies for the Nats’ 2009 home opener against the Philadelphia Phillies. (Getty Images)

David Gregory is the host of one of the most powerful and popular shows in TV news — NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

It is the highest-rated and most successful political talk show of its kind and each Sunday the top newsmakers from around the world sit across the table from Gregory. He is, simply put, one of the most influential people in the media today.

But while Gregory is at the top of his game covering world issues, his passion is baseball. I recently got a chance to talk to him about it.

How did you become a Nats fan?

Gregory » I grew up in southern California so as a kid I was a Dodgers fan. But I went to college at American University in the early 1990s and in 2000 Washington became home. My 7-year-old son, Max, is a baseball fan and, like me, he loves the Dodgers. But when the Nationals came to town we both became fans of our new home team. To me, baseball is about your boyhood. It is such a great family sport and we go as a family to Nationals Park — which is, by the way, a great place to see a game. When we can’t go to games, I have multiple monitors in my office so I can follow the Nationals on MASN and the Dodgers on MLB.TV.

How did you end up becoming the master of ceremonies for Opening Day?

Gregory » The Nationals’ front office asked me if I would consider doing it and it took me about 5 minutes to say yes. While it is an honor and I love helping out the team I have to say that Max thinks that it is one of the coolest things I have ever done. I mean we can be on the field with the players. What is better than that?

Did you ever consider becoming a sportscaster?

Gregory » I grew up in Los Angeles listening to Vin Scully do the Dodgers games and what a treat that was. Like all kids I did mock broadcasts of games, but I really knew that my interests were in news, politics and international affairs so a career in sportscasting wasn’t in the cards. However, I did get a chance to meet Vin Scully at a Dodgers game in St. Louis and he was a great gentleman — but all he wanted to talk about was President Bush.

If you could have any sports star as a guest on “Meet the Press,” who would it be?

Gregory » Well in these tough economic times maybe the McCords, who own the Dodgers, or the Lerners, who own the Nationals, could talk about what they are doing to help to keep baseball affordable for families. Cal Ripken could talk about the importance that role models play in sports.

Gregory was also passionate about baseball’s use as a departure from the everyday — even if for a few hours — in difficult times.

“Baseball has been America’s best escape,” Gregory said.

“It is a game loved perhaps first by fathers and sons, but really something that is best shared by the entire family. For three hours, no matter what has happened to us good or bad, baseball allows us to just relax and enjoy a great catch, a homerun or simply the chance to let off a little steam by cheering for our favorite team. For well over 100 years, baseball has been there for us as our great diversion and it remains there for us today.”

However, the Nationals aren’t the Gregorys’ only local sporting interest. David says his son Max has also become a big Caps fan — so with the playoffs coming up, you will see the Gregory family Rocking the Red at the Verizon Center when not at Nationals Park.

Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. Check out his blog, Watch this! on washingtonexaminer.com.