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Baucus Staff Works for the Health of It

Nov. 18, 2009

Senate staffer Liz Fowler has been pretty darn busy lately.

Shuler Shines as Members Win First Charity Game

Oct. 29, 12 a.m.

In the minutes before Tuesday night’s Longest Yard Football Classic, Members of Congress dropped to the ground at the command of former Washington Redskin Ken Harvey and cranked out 20 or so push-ups.

• Longest Yard Photo Slideshow
• Video: Congress Prevails Over Capitol Police

Members Beat Police in Overtime at Longest Yard

Oct. 27, 10:57 p.m.

Minutes before Tuesday night’s Longest Yard Football Classic, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) declined to predict a final score. “It will be ... decisive,” was as far as Pelosi would go.

The Longest Yard Official Game Program

Oct. 27, 12 a.m.

Check out the official program for the charity football game that pits Members of Congress (with former NFL players as ringers) against the Capitol Police.

Players Fall for Indoor Bocce

Oct. 26, 12 a.m.

Devoted bocce players aren’t letting the obstacle of a little unsettled autumn weather prevent them from playing the summer game they love.

Senate Bats Overpower House Rivals in Softball Championship

Oct. 22, 4:24 p.m.

When playoff baseball arrives every fall, there is a saying that “you can’t script October.” The saying proved applicable last night in the King of the Hill Classic, the annual game between the champions of the House and Senate softball leagues.

Slideshow: Longest Yard Practice

Oct. 13, 12 a.m.

Members practiced on the Mall on Thursday morning in preparation for the Oct. 27 Longest Yard football game, in which Members of Congress square off against the Capitol Police.

Obama to Host White House Basketball Game

Oct. 8, 10:29 a.m.

President Barack Obama on Thursday evening will take his Congressional lobbying operation to the basketball court, hosting a game of hoops at the White House with some 15 Cabinet secretaries and lawmakers.

Ballers Take Congressional League Title Walking Away

Oct. 6, 11:10 a.m.

Champagne sprayed over the infield as Rob’s Beltway Ballers celebrated their Congressional Softball League tournament championship victory, the capstone to an undefeated year.

Ex-NFLers to Suit Up With Members

Sept. 24, 12 a.m.

The last time Members of Congress challenged Capitol Police officers in the Longest Yard Football Classic, Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) threw two interceptions, Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) dove headfirst into the dirt to defend a pass, and the lawmakers never made it to the end zone, losing 28-0.

House League Learns Not to Mess With Texas Republic

Sept. 22, 12 a.m.

The players of Texas Republic threw their gloves into the bright blue sky and circled for a team hug. Surviving a grueling, two-day tournament to win their first House Softball League championship brought out that kind of euphoria.

AZ Clowns Top In-State Rivals, Advance to Final Four in Congressional League

Sept. 22, 12 a.m.

The No Talent AZ Clowns showed that their name is merely a bluff Saturday, crushing three opponents en route to a final four slot in the Congressional Softball League’s 31st annual tournament.

Slideshow: Basketball Diaries

Sept. 17, 2009

Members of Congress and lobbyists took to the court at Georgetown University on Tuesday for the 11th Annual Hoops for Hope fundraiser. The lawmakers won, 52-38.

Slideshow: Members Tee Off for Charity

Sept. 15, 2009

Members of Congress knocked the ball around TPC Potomac in the annual First Tee Congressional golf tournament Monday. See photos from the course (and a few non-golf images as well) in Roll Call's Photos of the Day.

Intrigue Surrounds Softball Playoffs

Aug. 20, 2009

Controversies regularly occur in Washington, D.C., particularly on Capitol Hill. The Congressional Softball League is no exception. The seedings for the annual championship tournament were announced this week, leading to a flurry of e-mails, message board activity and conspiracy theories.

Behind the Scenes, Coaches Play Vital Role

July 29, 2009

Softball is a pretty informal affair, something that even the most devoted veterans of the House Softball League will affirm.

Softball and Kickball Play Out Rivalry

July 22, 12 a.m.

For outsiders, it may be a bit difficult to understand a Congressional softball player’s love of the game. As tourists walk the Mall on weekday evenings, they often stop to stare — utterly taken aback by the sight of 30- or 40-year-olds diving into bases or arguing plays angrily

Hill Talk: The Wettest Art Form

July 16, 12 a.m.

When Lisa Gold, executive director of the Washington Project for the Arts, says she wants people to experience new art forms, she’s not kidding. Gold is the mastermind behind SynchroSwim, an event to be held at Capitol Skyline Hotel’s retro pool on Sunday.

When Teams Play a Numbers Game

July 15, 12 a.m.

As the 2008 House Softball League season drew to a close, the Suspicious Packages could almost taste the playoff berth they had been chasing all season. With one game to go, they sat just three seats back of the coveted 48th and final tournament spot, they needed only a victory over the 23rd-ranked Texas Republic. The Suspicious Packages were outmatched to be sure, but they planted their feet nonetheless.

What’s in a Name? Don’t Ask Scared Hitless Players

July 8, 12 a.m.

After just half an inning of play against their House Softball League rivals, the players of Scared Hitless found themselves in the middle of a waking nightmare. They watched in agony during the top of the first as the Elephonkeys’ batters lit up their pitcher for hit after hit, and when their leadoff batter finally stepped to the plate, he was staring straight into the eyes of a monstrous 14-run deficit.

Festival Wreaks Havoc With Softball Schedule

June 24, 12 a.m.

At about 5:30 p.m. on the average Thursday, the National Mall transforms into a massive cluster of softball fields where hundreds of Capitol Hill employees convene for their weekly dose of exercise and friendly sport. But starting today, tourists walking along the Mall will have fewer fly balls to dodge. The ball fields are being taken over by large tents, exotic art and everything else that rolls into town with the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

Democrats Thinking Dynasty After 15-10 Win

June 22, 12 a.m.

After losing eight straight games, Democrats are already saying last week’s win in the 48th Annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game is the beginning of a dynasty.

• Photo Gallery
• Video: Highlights From the Game
• Video: Watch Members Sing 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame'
• 48th Annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game Program

A Whole New Ballgame for Democrats

June 18, 3:26 p.m.

In the end, the Congressional baseball gods — and the weather — sided with the Democrats.
For the first time since 2000, the blue team on Wednesday hoisted the coveted Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game trophy, the 15th Democratic win in the game’s 48-year history.

Democrats Beat GOP in Congressional Baseball Game

June 17, 10:05 p.m.

Democrats defeated Republicans 15-10 on Wednesday night at Nationals Park in the 48th Annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game, lifting the newspaper’s coveted trophy for first time since 2000.

100 Years of Congressional Baseball

June 17, 12 a.m.

Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.) was never supposed to pitch in 2005. He had endured invasive open-heart surgery just three months before, and his body was weak from a required post-operational rest period. But sometimes, as Shimkus knows well, the Annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game inspires some pretty unbelievable things.

It’s All in the Uniform

June 17, 12 a.m.

Alphabet Soup coach Keith Cunningham had a problem. During the season, he said, his team would always play well. They were loose, confident and ready to go up against the best bats and gloves in the Congressional Softball League. But when the high-stakes annual tournament rolled around, the nerves were too much. The team just couldn’t compete at its highest level.

Is Geography the Reason for Success?

June 10, 12 a.m.

From the Yankees’ dynasty of the late 1990s to the GOP’s dominance of the electoral map just a few years back, there is a lesson for lawmakers and athletes alike: In baseball and in politics, everything is cyclical. And there might even be a second lesson: Geography is destiny.

Twitter Has a Hand in the Game

June 10, 12 a.m.

The prospects for league softball play last Thursday were questionable at best. A steady drizzle had persisted throughout the day, and as morning turned to afternoon, the reality of widespread game cancellation was rapidly setting in.

Congressional Teams Line Up for Big Race

June 4, 12 a.m.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s Texas Trailblazers and Sen. Richard Burr’s Kickin’ Asphalt teams will be pounding the pavement at Saturday’s Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on the National Mall.

There’s Danger in Those Fields

June 3, 12 a.m.

There is often debate about which sport is the world’s most dangerous. Some point to daring stunts like competitive bull riding or cross-country horse racing, both of which are known to be frequent causes of life-changing paralysis. Others cite high-speed motor sports or skydiving, which can bring death with a single slip of the hand. No one can be certain.

Group Plugs National Running Day

June 3, 12 a.m.

Runners and non-runners alike are encouraged to participate in today’s inaugural National Running Day, which is spearheaded by the New York Road Runners and supported locally by the Marine Corps Marathon. National Running Day supporters hope to garner support and increase popularity for a convenient and healthy pastime.

Leagues’ Early Days Began in ’71

May 20, 12 a.m.

Howard Gorrell was an enterprising college student interning for the National Republican Congressional Committee in 1971 when he had an idea that would continue to influence staffers’ summer social lives today: the House Interoffice Softball League.

Morning Business: Cops Tee It Up

May 20, 12 a.m.

The Capitol Police union has opened the registration period for the 35th Annual United States Capitol Police Golf Tournament, which raises money for Hospice of the Chesapeake.

Photo Gallery: Congress Walks It Off

May 19, 3:42 p.m.

Registration opened Tuesday morning for the Seventh Annual WalkingWorks Capitol Hill Challenge in the Upper House Park, behind the Longworth Building.

Heard on the Hill: Big Shots

May 18, 12 a.m.

Here’s a tip: Avoid ticking off Rep. Collin Peterson — the Minnesota Democrat is the best shooter in Congress.