LISTEN TO TLR’S LATEST PODCAST:
By Phillip Stucky
Ticket sales for Thursday’s annual congressional baseball game were higher than nearly every other major league game.
A stunning record-setting 24,959 tickets were purchased for the game, according to a report from the New York Times. That’s more attendance than five of the twelve regular major league games played in Chicago, Cleveland, Detriot, Minnesota, and Oakland.
The game reportedly raised over $1 million for Congressional Sports for Charity. Last year the event only raised $500,000.
The annual game took center stage in media coverage after a former volunteer for Bernie Sanders named James Hodgkinson opened fire during the Republican practice for the game early Wednesday morning.
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, Congressional Aide Zach Barth, Lobbyist Matt Mika, and two Capitol Police officers were shot during the incident.
The Democrats won the game, earning a solid 11-2 lead over the Republicans, but Democratic manager Mike Doyle presented the trophy to Republicans to be housed in Scalise’s office until next year’s game.
