Bipartisan Congressional Baseball Game Provides Respite From Hyper-Partisanship

As Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) circled the bases after hitting an inside-the-park home run, Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.) heckled from the bleachers, “If the rest of the Senate could move that fast, that would be helpful!”

These Washington lawmakers have not quit their day jobs. They are practicing for an annual baseball game—officiated by Major League Baseball (MLB) umpires—that allows members of Congress to take a moment away from the deep divisions on Capitol Hill.

Republicans and Democrats are preparing to play in the annual Congressional Baseball Game, which will take place on June 12.

Proceeds from the seven-inning contest will go to charities such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington.

The game will be played at Nationals Park, which is home to the MLB’s Washington Nationals and less than two miles from the Capitol. GOP and Democrat fans each have their own section on the lower level along the first base and third base lines, respectively.

Expect the lower bowl to be full, Ryan Thompson, president of the Congressional Sports for Charity Foundation, the game’s organizer, told The Epoch Times on a breezy June 4 evening ahead of practice at the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy in southeast Washington on an immaculately groomed field.

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Due to high demand, there will also be seating on the second level, said Mr. Thompson, noting that at least 12,000 tickets have been sold. The foundation is looking to raise $2 million in this year’s game to better last year’s effort, which brought in $1.8 million.

“I thought it was older than that,” Mr. Williams told The Epoch Times, noting that he has been preaching baseball fundamentals to all of his team members.

Mr. Williams, 74, was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 1971 MLB Draft, though he never made it to the majors. He coached the baseball team at his alma mater, Texas Christian University.

Previously Texas Secretary of State and an owner of car dealerships, he entered the congressional arena in 2013 after feeling that nobody was fighting for him in Washington.

The GOP team has been practicing since March 1, according to Mr. Williams.

Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) will be the GOP’s starting pitcher. The 46-year-old three-term congressman played outfield at Southeast High School and was picked for the Florida All-State team. He passed on offers to play in college and got an agricultural degree at the University of Florida.

During his interview with The Epoch Times, a foul ball flew overhead, almost striking a government-issued vehicle.

“Good thing that’s paid for by the government,” he quipped.

The GOP team leads the series 45–42–1 and has won the past three games. The longest win streak is also held by the GOP who got 11 straight wins between 1964 and 1974.

Another draw for the fans is that they get swag from the sponsors. In the past that has included CSPAN water bottles and hats as well as Quorum baseball cards of the participants with non-baseball statistics such as the number of bills sponsored. Concessions—from DC staple Ben’s Chili Bowl to nachos and hot dogs—will also be available.

The bipartisan event started in 1909 as a collegial competition but turned near-deadly serious in June 2017. During a GOP practice session one day before the game, a supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) shot House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), who was then the House Majority Whip. He was struck in the hip, and the bullet tore into blood vessels, bones, and internal organs.

Capitol Police were already on the scene due to the security afforded to Mr. Scalise as a senior member of congressional leadership. The shooter, James Hodgkinson, was taken down by Capitol Police.

The U.S. Park Police transported Mr. Scalise by helicopter to MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where he was in critical condition. During a six-week stay, he underwent multiple surgeries.

Police Presence at Field

At this year’s practice, Capitol Police were present around the field, and Mr. Scalise’s security was stationed at the top of the bleachers.

Before the 2017 game, the players on both teams huddled for a group prayer in a moment of unity in solidarity with their wounded colleague.

Seven years later, Mr. Scalise remains thankful that he was able to overcome his injuries.

“It’s always great to just be able to come back out and play ball with my colleagues,” he told The Epoch Times.

“There was a time when I didn’t know if I’d even be able to walk again,” he said. “And G-d’s definitely performed a lot of miracles and given me a second chance.”

In a more recent successful battle for his life, Mr. Scalise’s cancer is in remission.

Given his physical condition, Mr. Scalise will be the first batter for the GOP to have a teammate running the bases for him.

Despite the event being designed to allow for differences to be set aside for one night, it does not mean that everyone is on board.

Ms. Sanchez gave the one-finger salute to the GOP dugout during the 2022 game, which the GOP won 10-0.

The congressional game has aired on CSPAN and, more recently, on Fox Sports in 2022 and FS1 in 2023. For the last two games, Fox News senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram served as an on-camera reporter and commentator, respectively. Fox News declined to make Mr. Pergram available for an interview.

So, the annual event, for at least seven innings, makes it possible for a contentious political rivalry to be transformed into a friendly rivalry.

“We make really good friends on the other side of the aisle,” said Mr. Scalise, adding that “it’s good” to get away from disagreements in the House while raising money for charity.

Mr. Steube remarked that he has “gotten to know guys on the Democrat side,” such as Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), “because there’s a camaraderie in the game” and, therefore, “it is an opportunity to kind of put the politics aside and play a little baseball.”

Still, the competitive spirit remains strong.

Mr. Williams said the game is “really not” bipartisan as the Democrats “want to beat us as bad as we want to beat them.” The GOP and Democrat fans root for their own team, though the game “is not angry like sometimes we are on the House floor.”

“There’s always a lot more intensity when you’re in an election year, especially presidential election year, because you want the right kind of momentum going into November,” said Mr. Scalise.

“But we especially want to win this year to set the table for what’s coming in November.”

“We want to beat them in June, and we’re going to beat them in November,” said Mr. Williams.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.