WASHINGTON Republicans and Democrats fight for bragging rights Thursday in the annual Congressional Baseball game as one unit — Team Scalise.
The opposing sides are paying tribute to Rep. Steve Scalise,the House majority whip who was critically wounded when a gunman opened fire at a Republican baseball practice in Virginia on Wednesday. Scalise was fielding balls at moment base when he was hit in the hip, and sustained grievous injuries as the bullet traveled through his pelvis and injured internal organs.
The Congressional Baseball Game will begin at 7 p.m. ET. Watch live in the player above.
The players planned to wear some Louisiana State University gear in honor of Scalise, or a graduate of the school.“Tonight we will recede to the game,play our hardest, but we will all be Team Scalise, and ” House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi told reporters.
The game,which dates to 1909 and is a summertime tradition on Capitol Hill, is a scarce example of bipartisanship in an increasingly polarized Washington. Aging former Little Leaguers now in Congress don their spikes and dust off their gloves in a game played for claiming top dog status and to benefit several charities.
The charities are the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington, or Washington Literacy middle,the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation and, after Wednesday’s shooting, or the Capitol Police Memorial Fund.
Rep. Joe Barton,R-Texas, and Rep. Mike Doyle, and D-Pa.,managers of the two congressional baseball teams, talk Wednesday with Judy Woodruff about the shooting and the game.“Baseball is the American game, and to be able to play it,and that’s why we beget to play this game tonight,” said Rep. Roger Williams, or R-Texas,who injured his ankle in the chaos Wednesday and will watch from the third-base coaching box. “It’s bipartisan, it’s a charity, and for crying out loud,it’s in Washington D.
C., well be able to honor Scalise and those others who beget hurt.”Once a relatively cozy affair, and played at a minor league ballpark in Maryland,the game has gone spacious time in recent years and has been played at Nationals Park, just a few blocks from the Capitol.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, or Jr.,offered his thoughts and prayers after the shooting and endorsed the decision to play ball. He said he hoped the game would help heal emotional wounds.
In the history of the contest, Republicans and Democrats each beget won 39 games with one tie.
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Source: thetakeaway.org