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The schedule of the typical congressional lawmaker is often filled with conferences, hearings, tv appearances and extra.
Nevertheless, some have June 11 circled on the calendar this 12 months.
It’s the time when any dangerous blood between Republicans and Democrats can go from the steps of Capitol Hill to the filth and inexperienced grass at Nationals Park – the house of MLB’s Washington Nationals.
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Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) rounds the bases through the Congressional Baseball Recreation for Charity at Nationals Park on June 12, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Pictures)
The Congressional Baseball Recreation is an annual occasion that pits the Republican and Democratic members of the Home of Representatives and the Senate in opposition to one another on the diamond. The sport has been performed since 1909, when the Democrats defeated the Republicans 26-16. It has been performed annually since then – other than a handful of cancellations.
The Republicans maintain the sequence lead and are on a four-game successful streak. GOP lawmakers received final 12 months’s sport, 31-11.
The sport is one thing Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., appears ahead to every 12 months. Schmitt is a large St. Louis Cardinals fan and performed baseball at Truman State College. Schmitt launched a sizzle reel earlier than final 12 months’s sport and ended up having a couple of huge hits within the blowout win.
“I feel good,” Schmitt informed Fox Information Digital forward of the sport. “We’ve got a good team and our coach, Roger Williams, gets us out there in the mornings pretty early for practices. So we’ve been out there sort of getting your timing back, taking fly balls. But there’s no substitute. The game, being in a Major League stadium with 30,000 people there, it’s for a great cause, has been a lot of fun.
“So, I take pleasure in it. I used to be joking with one of many different outfielders final 12 months. I used to be like, ‘This is what I really wanted to do with my life – be in the Major League outfield for the Cardinals’ – however I ended up within the Senate. We get to do that yearly. It’s numerous enjoyable.”
Schmitt said the “most vital factor” is winning the game and not breaking the scoring record which Democrats set in 1928, when they scored 36 runs in the game.
One of the key aspects of the game is the charity component. Both sides of the aisle raise money for Congressional Sports for Charity, which “gives assist to worthy and efficient charities serving weak youngsters and households within the Washington DC space in addition to scholarships to deserving native youth,” according to the game’s website.
Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) and Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) celebrate with Rep. Jake Ellzey (R-TX) during the Congressional Baseball Game for Charity at Nationals Park on June 12, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
“These charities embody the Boys and Women Golf equipment of Higher Washington and the Washington Nationals Philanthropies together with america Capitol Police Memorial Fund in gratitude to the courageous officers on the Republican apply capturing on June 14, 2017,” the website said.
“My household comes on the town. Our entire workplace is there. So, it’s a blast,” Schmitt said. “I believe already this 12 months they’re as much as $2.8 million raised for native charities right here. So, it’s a fantastic trigger and it’s numerous enjoyable and has grow to be sort of a social factor for workers and others to go to the sport. However for me, you get on that area, and also you need to carry out, and that’s numerous enjoyable.”
Presidents have been known to attend the game.
President Woodrow Wilson threw out the first pitch twice in the 1917 game as Clark Griffiths was unable to catch the ball. He also tossed the ball to a House rep in 1918. President Barack Obama attended the game in 2015, and President Joe Biden was there in 2021.
It is unclear if President Donald Trump will show up, but Schmitt was in favor of having him there.
“That’d be nice. I don’t know if it’s on his calendar or not, or my good friend (Vice President) JD Vance, I believe it might be nice to have him there,” Schmitt told Fox News Digital. “The primary two years I performed within the sport, Biden was president. He was, you understand, it’s somewhat completely different story there, however I’d like to have President Trump there.
“I’ve actually gotten to play golf with President Trump. He knows a lot about sports. In fact, on Trump Force One and some of the campaign stops, we would have conversations about the greatest right-handed hitter of all time. Of course, my pick was Albert Pujols. But he knows his sports, and it’s a lot of fun kinda talking sports with him.”
Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., delivers remarks throughout a Senate Armed Providers Committee listening to on the anticipated nomination of Pete Hegseth to be Secretary of Protection on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Jack Gruber-USA TODAY)
Schmitt joked he did present the president a couple of highlights from the Congressional Baseball Recreation.
The groups for the Republicans and Democrats are set. Schmitt is one in all 4 senators taking part in within the sport.
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Sens. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, will compete with Schmitt.
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