Ron Paul has been known to bust up some Congressional testimonies, but this week he's been recognized for his ability to bust the cover right off a baseball. Every year, Congress puts differences aside for a day to play the Congressional Baseball Game, which pits Elephants versus Donkeys in America's favorite pastime.
In the fifty years this tradition has taken place, only one Congressman has sent one out of the park...
In 1979, Ron Paul crushed a curveball from Ronald Mottl (D-Ohio) into the stands of Four Mile Run Park in Alexandria, Virginia. It was the shot heard 'round the Beltway — and Mottl intentionally walked Paul the following year.
Due in part to that dinger, Paul has been inducted into the Congressional Baseball Hall of Fame. Wearing a retro Houston Astros jersey exactly like the one he wore for the homer, he also threw the first pitch for this year's game:
Paul is the 22nd congressman to be inducted.
In addition to the home run, Paul retired with a .294 batting average, six runs scored, and six runs batted in. Not too shabby for only seven games played.
Republicans have won 41 games to the Democrats' 37. But Paul has said that Congress — especially this one — may want to play more than one game a year...
"I do believe that if the Democrats and the Republicans played more baseball and legislated a lot less, the country would be much better off,” he noted on the chamber floor in 1987.
"I am convinced the annual baseball game played by the Republicans and the Democrats must be considered one of the most productive events in which the Members of Congress participate."
That's the understatement of the year.
Hats off to Ron Paul on his latest achievement. If there were a Hall of Fame for people's performance in Congress, we know Ron Paul would be a first ballot choice.
+11