Reps. Juan Ciscomani, left, and Greg Stanton discuss the purpose of the Congressional Baseball Game at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., on June 12, 2024. (Photo by Morgan Kubasko/Cronkite News)
Attendees on both the Republican and Democratic side of Nationals Park wear colors representing their respective members of Congress in Washington, D.C., on June 12, 2024. (Photo by Morgan Kubasko/Cronkite News)
Rep. Greg Stanton takes the field to warm up at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., on June 12, 2024. (Photo by Morgan Kubasko/Cronkite News)
WASHINGTON – Republicans and Democrats took the field at Nationals Park with plenty of competitive drive at the annual Congressional Baseball Game, and with one unifying desire: don’t pull a hamstring.
Injuries were mostly kept to a minimum, except for egos left badly bruised on the Democratic side at the end of a 31-11 blowout Wednesday night interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters and climate activists.
The team in red, which included Tucson Republican Juan Ciscomani, enjoyed late-inning rallies fueled by so-so pitching and fielding by the Democrats in blue.
Rep. Greg Stanton of Phoenix delivered a few solid defensive plays as the Democrats’ third baseman.
He scooped up a grounder from the lead-off GOP batter, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, but his throw was past the first baseman, Sen. Alex Padilla of California. Later in the first inning, he handled a solid grounder from Texas Rep. Jake Ellzey and tagged third for a forced out.
“The Democrats are massive underdogs in this game. Massive underdogs,” Stanton said before the game.
Stanton was the only starter among the three Arizona lawmakers on the rosters, and he played all seven innings in a game that took nearly four hours.
Rep. Ruben Gallego takes a phone call before the Congressional Baseball Game at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., on June 12, 2024. (Photo by Morgan Kubasko/Cronkite News)
Ciscomani entered the game in the fifth inning. As a pinch runner in the top of the seventh, he got to second on a walk and scored with bases loaded when Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt hit a screaming double to deep left field.
That put Republicans up 27-10, and the pain for Democrats wasn’t even over.
Rep. Ruben Gallego, a Phoenix Democrat and senatorial hopeful, was in uniform but did not see any playing time.
The Congressional Baseball Game began in 1909. Democrats won the inaugural game and the next five. They’ve been winless since 2019, though. The 2020 game was called off during the pandemic. So Wednesday night’s 20-run rout makes four straight losses.
“It’s not bipartisan,” said the Republican coach, House Small Business Committee Chairman Roger Williams, a Texan who played in the minor leagues and coached college baseball. “They want to beat us as bad as we want to beat them. Really, it’s the real world.”
Proceeds from ticket sales and corporate sponsorships go to local charities – $2.2 million this year is a record. Recipients include the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington; the Washington Literacy Center; and the Washington Nationals Philanthropies, which renovates baseball and softball fields in the region.
The 30,000 paid attendance was also a record.
“We are playing against each other, but for a common cause,” said Ciscomani. “It’s just a great thing to be a part of.”
Republicans wore matching red uniforms. Democrats mostly wore something blue, though Stanton was in a black uniform from Red Mountain High School in Mesa.
Capitol Police officers begin to escort pro-Palestinian protesters out of the Congressional Baseball Game at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., on June 12, 2024. (Photo by Morgan Kubasko/Cronkite News)
Moments before the national anthem, “free Palestine” chants rang out in the stands, quickly joined by chants of “USA!” from the first base side, where Republicans were seated. A handful of protesters were led out before the first pitch, but protests would erupt throughout the night.
Capitol Police in ballistic vests, some with rifles, were on hand in force, but that didn’t stop eight people from jumping onto the field shortly after California Democrat Pete Aguilar threw the first pitch. All eight faced federal charges. A group called Climate Defiance took credit for the interruption.
After that, Capitol Police lined the warning track on the field and scrambled out of the way as needed when an outfielder needed to chase a ball.
Congressional aides socialized in the stands, many in matching T-shirts, cheering whenever their bosses got up to bat or made a play.
By the end of six innings, the scoreboard read 21-10. The Democratic side of the stadium was half empty and demoralized. Republicans cemented the win with another 10 runs in the final inning, prompting another round of “USA!” chants on their side.
“You know, a middle-aged guy like me has no business out here playing baseball – pull a muscle or break a leg or something – but it is a long tradition of Congress and traditions are important,” Stanton said just before taking the field.
