So, before I posted that last thingamajig, it’d been a while since my last post. Which means that over the past couple of weeks I’ve had about 20 or 30 things I’ve meant to write about. Most of the thoughts passed – the Green Party had their convention and nominated McKinney (I may still write about that at some point), lots more VP speculation, Obama’s global tour, McCain’s cheese photo op… but everything sort of passed by… victims of July, I guess. Still, I can’t resist writing about the Congressional baseball game from a couple weeks ago.
I’ve been to a few of these games before – of course, never in a year when the Democrats won (they rarely ever do) – and they’re a lot of fun. There have been tense moments: once, when they played the game in Bowie, my friend and I took a bus from one of the House Office Buildings to the stadium and I had to sit directly behind Katherine Harris, spending the 30 minute trip trying to remind myself that I oppose violence. Back in ‘06, in his final year in the game (and the Senate), Rick Santorum was brought in as a pinch hitter as the entire Democratic side of the stadium broke out into chants of “Cas-ey, Cas-ey.” Oh, and then there was the one when Sherrod Brown, representing the tying run in the bottom of the 7th (the last inning of play in the Congressional games) was picked off second for the last out of the game. I thought that would be the most painful loss I’d have to endure at one of these.
Then there was this year. Joe Baca from California was the Democrats starting pitcher – thankfully replacing Mel Watt from years past. Mike Doyle from Pennsylvania managed the team, and evidently had a bit of fun showing off his Earl Weaver side (seriously, this guy is animated). Going into the seventh inning, the Democrats were down by 4, and the Republican sitting behind us – y’know, the jackass who deliberately sits on the opposite side just to taunt the fans – was giddy. But the Republicans walked in two runs, and with the bases still loaded, Joe Baca hit a little bloop single to tie the game. The Democratic side erupted with chants of “Yes We Can” (which was cheesy, but a lot of fun) and I think the entire section turned to stare at our Republican troll who sat in his seat shrugging. We scored twice more before inning’s end, and it looked (for a minute) like the Democrats might actually win one of these things.
Bart Stupak was brought in to start the ninth, and walked the bases loaded without getting an out. Doyle made a pitching change and brought Baca back in the game – Stupak moved to first base (unlimited replacements meant you could take the same player into and out of the game as desired). One run scored to make it a 10-9 game. Baca bobbled, but ultimately caught a pop fly back to the pitcher (on an attempted intentional walk). One out, one run lead, bases loaded. Come-backer to the mound. Baca fields, throws home to catcher Chris Murphy for one out… just throw to first Chris, the game will be over… throws somewhere in the vague vicinity of first-baseman Bart Stupak, and the ball sails into Right Field. One run scores, two runs score. Republicans win.
Ouch.
Oh… even though all those other thoughts these past couple of weeks came and went, how could I not show that cheese photo-op?
