Lawmakers squared off against members of the Washington press corps on Wednesday for the annual Congressional Women’s Softball Game for charity. “The event was centered around the incredible humanity of these women. They were fun, goofy, and the energy was great throughout the game,” author Pamela Ryckman, who attended the event, told msnbc.
The game was created by Florida Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz and a Missouri Republican Jo Ann Emerson to bring colleagues from both sides of the aisle together in the spirit of bipartisanship. But the key purpose of the game was to raise money and awareness for the Young Survival Coalition, which offers resources, connections, and outreach to pre-menopausal women with breast cancer. Ticket sales and a post-game event brought in roughly $125,000 for charity.
While the lawmakers put in a strong performance throughout, the sixth inning proved lethal when the “Bad News Babes” (the press corp) scored six runs and to cushion their win with a final score of 11-6.
“To see these women interact on the softball field was phenomenal,” Ryckman said. “There was so much friendship and comradery on the field it didn’t matter what side they were on.”
Rain on the horizon did not stop fans from coming out to cheer on their colleagues. From Speaker John Boehner, to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi the stands were filled with both sides of Congress, the press, some Washington celebrities, and fans who came out to watch a softball game. Earlier in the month the Congressional Baseball game, which is made up of mostly men and a handful of women, divided players along party lines. Democrats ultimately came through with the win, shutting out Republicans 22-0.
Abby Borovitz