Game on: Tragedy won’t stop annual baseball game
Washington in recent years has been marred by acrimony and partisanship.
Members of Congress were breaking into tears talking about the event.
The game’s most illustrious alumni include Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning, who represented Kentucky in the House and Senate; former Major League pitcher Vinegar Bend Mizell, an original New York Met and US representative from North Carolina; and Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Steve Largent, a USA representative from Oklahoma.
Rep. Steve Scalise is known for his love of baseball and his home state of Louisiana. Ryan’s announcement was met with a standing ovation, according to McSally.
The popularity of the game contributed to its evolution as a fundraising event for D.C. area charities, according to the congressional baseball website.
-The game has been happening since 1909.
“The game was brewing for weeks”, the Boston Daily Globe reported at the time.
“It’s very sad and sick that a person would open gunfire on innocent people practicing for a baseball game that benefits charities”. Since then, the game has grown in popularity and graduated to the diamond at Nationals Park in Southeast Washington where it serves as a fundraiser for various local charities. And he’s a workhorse; he threw 135 pitches in his start a year ago. The Great Depression, World War II and some speakers of the House have intervened to cancel some games. Four years later, Speaker John McCormack re-started the game – and began its association with the Roll Call newspaper.
Various activists and leaders were quick to renounce the idea of being linked with Republicans, declaring “no we aren’t” in subsequent re-tweets of Lessig’s message.
Cedric Richmond, the Democrat from New Orleans, is the ranking ace now.
Capitol Hill reporters say the Congressional Baseball Game typically has hefty security but Wednesday’s events prompted the House Sergeant at Arms to say that Capitol police “will take extra measures”, as reported by Scott Wong, a correspondent with The Hill.
Republicans won a year ago, 8 to 7, after the Democrats won the preceding seven games. The 1983 game was called after it was tied following the standard nine innings. “And it will be “play ball” tomorrow night at 7:05″, Barton continued.
So, Members of Congress are not going to become afraid. The Republican was a former wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks. Several of my closest friends in Congress are Republicans, and we share stories of our families, children and sports teams after votes and throughout the day.
-It won’t be the first time the game was played after a tragedy, though nothing has touched the game this closely.