WASHINGTON — Politicians are used to playing hardball. But Wednesday’s display was different.
There were no bills, no lobbyists, no debates and no name-calling.
Lawmakers from both parties traded in their suits, ties and pocket squares for jerseys, ball caps and cleats in the 53rd annual Congressional baseball game. Solid pitching on the Democratic side and an eight-run fifth led to a 15-6 pummeling of the Republicans in a game called after six innings due to rain.
“I thought we played some good defense,” the Democrats’ starting pitcher Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., said. “But better than that — we hit the ball. We made smart plays.”
The game is a nice way for the legislators to get out of the office grind and spend leisure time together. More than anything, it’s fun.
“I never dreamed when I came to Congress that I would be able to play baseball,” said Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn. “It’s wonderful. We all get along really well.”
Legislators wear uniforms from their alma mater or a team from their home state. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., wore a Western Kentucky University jersey.
“It’s one of the few things left here where Democrats and Republicans get together and have fun with one another and enjoy one another’s company,” said Rep. Tim Bishop, D-N.Y. “People who play in this game respect one another.”
But even though they’re having fun, the elected officials don’t take the game lightly.
“We take it seriously,” said Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Penn. “We practice very hard — none of us got down here liking to lose. We want to beat these guys badly.”
Fleischmann, who wore a University of Tennessee uniform, said the Republicans practice at 7 a.m. on days Congress is in session to prepare for the contest.
The Democrats, managed by Doyle, opened up a 6-1 lead before exploding in the fifth inning. The Republicans were mostly shut down by the hard-throwing Richmond, who played baseball at Morehouse College and was easily the best athlete on the field for either team.
Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., the lone female in the game, brought the Democrats’ fans to their feet twice, first with a line-drive single at the plate and then when she orchestrated a rundown that led to an inning-ending tag-out at third base.
“It was beautiful. It was Cedric making me look good but it felt good to get the final out of the inning,” Sanchez said.
Tickets were $10, with all proceeds going to various charities, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, the Washington Literacy Center and the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation.
“It’s good for Congress that we get together with Republicans and do things outside of Congress,” Richmond said, “because the more you get to know somebody, it’s harder to call them evil and mean. It helps fostering a relationship where you can work together.”
The dugout assignments at Nationals Park — home of the Washington Nationals — were easy to determine. The Democrats sat to the left of home plate, and the Republicans sat to the right. Fans of either side sat behind them.
The baseball tradition for America’s lawmakers started more than a century ago. John Tener, a former professional baseball player who served as governor of Pennsylvania and also as a member of the U.S. House, is credited with organizing the first-ever Congressional baseball game in 1909, according to the U.S. House of Representatives’ Web site.
Even though the first game was played more than 100 years ago, this was only the 53rd meeting between teams due to periodic breaks during times of war and decisions by congressional leaders to skip a year.
This was the Democrats’ sixth win in a row, outscoring the Republicans by a combined 63 runs, including last year’s 22-0 demolition. The Republicans, however, still have a 33-19-1 record in the all-time series.
“It’s the best part of the year,” Rep. Sanchez said. “Getting to come out with your colleagues and do something fun that requires teamwork where you can have a good time and it’s not all serious work.”