Wise says hug and thank you all he needed from Buehrle

NEW YORK (Reuters) - President Barack Obama gave Chicago pitcher Mark Buehrle a pat on the back over the phone after he tossed a perfect game, and the White Sox left-hander expressed his appreciation to outfielder Dewayne Wise.

"As a fan it is extraordinary," White Sox fan Obama said.

Defensive replacement Wise played his role to perfection by leaping above the fence with outstretched glove to deny a home run and help Buehrle become the 18th Major League hurler to go a full game without allowing a man to reach base Thursday.

"I told him he doesn't have to give me anything," Wise told ESPN radio Friday when asked if he expected any special gift from Buehrle for the spectacular catch he made off the drive by Tampa Bay's Gabe Kapler in the ninth inning.

"All I wanted was a hug and a thank you, and that's what he did yesterday in the game."

Wise also got a congratulatory phone call after the game.

"My high school quarterback called me and told me it looked like I was running to catch one of his touchdown passes," said Wise, a receiver during his football playing days.

"To be able to jump on the wall like that and make that catch and hold onto it as I was bobbling and falling to the ground, it was just an unbelievable catch."

Wise, on the bench watching Buehrle work his magic until manager Ozzie Guillen put him in center for the last frame to improve team defense, said he was not surprised the spotlight fell on him.

"Every time you go into the game as a defensive replacement, it seems like the ball always finds you," said 31-year-old Wise, hitting just .196 in 97 at-bats.

"I knew it was going to come down to me making a play, or at least getting one or two balls hit at me. But I didn't know it was going to be the first batter up hitting a home run and I would have to go up and rob it."

(Writing by Larry Fine, Editing by Justin Palmer)