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Sporting Life

Rep. Kevin Brady is a member of the Congressional Fitness Caucus and the winner of multiple Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game MVP awards. (Scott J. Ferrell/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
Rep. Kevin Brady is a member of the Congressional Fitness Caucus and the winner of multiple Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game MVP awards. (Scott J. Ferrell/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Athletics supporters tonight will honor Reps. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) and Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.) for their get-in-the-game agendas, a celebration of sport that will spill over into star-powered lobbying on Wednesday.

According to a Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association spokesman, Brady and McIntyre earned this year’s Congressional Health and Fitness Award by virtue of their unwavering athleticism. The SGMA aide touted the pair’s professional and personal achievements. McIntyre is founder/chairman of the Congressional Youth Sports Caucus, while Brady is a member of the Congressional Fitness Caucus. Brady is the winner of multiple Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game MVP awards, and McIntyre has a black belt in tae kwon do. The aide stressed that they “literally practice what they preach.”

Brady pitched baseball as his preferred pastime, but he encouraged kids to follow their own passions. “Any life sport — jogging, hiking, biking, soccer, swimming, golf, tennis — that kids love to do and gets them outdoors is the key,” he said.

And if he weren’t busy legislating, Brady said he would be fine switching places with Denver Broncos snap-taker Tim Tebow because he embodies “the values and work ethic I appreciate most in professional sports today.”

The SGMA will also recognize ex-NFL stars Ken Harvey and John Booty for coaching Congressional football squads in 2007, 2009 and 2011.

When National Health Through Fitness Day rolls around Wednesday, the Capitol should be crawling with former sports stars. The SGMA has recruited football great/mixed martial artist Herschel Walker, golf champs Gary Player and Johnny Miller, tennis great Stan Smith and baseball pitcher Tommy John to help advance the ball on getting Americans moving.

Walker, a Georgia native and now proud Texan, is expected to rush the offices of Brady, Reps. Sam Johnson (R-Texas), David Scott (D-Ga.), Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.), Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) and John Lewis (D-Ga.) as well as Sens. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.).

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