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Roger Williams to Coach GOP in Congressional Baseball Game

Williams is a former professional baseball player. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
Williams is a former professional baseball player. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

After years of losses at the Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game , Republicans have announced a team coach in hopes of righting the ship, but their embattled manager remains at the helm.  

Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, announced Thursday he was named the coach for the GOP, which suffered its sixth-straight loss to Democrats in 2014, 15-6. According to Williams’ spokesperson, Rep. Joe L. Barton, R-Texas, will remain the team’s manager, and Barton will still decide who plays and where. Williams is a former professional baseball player and played for the Atlanta Braves’ farm team after graduating from Texas Christian University. He took on a coaching role last year amid mutinous rumblings in the Republican ranks. Some GOP players were frustrated with manager Barton over the string of losses. That frustration even spilled over into the dugout in 2014 when Rep. Patrick Meehan, R-Pa., threw his mitt after he was taken out of the game .  

As practices are underway and it is less than a month from the game, Williams will once again be working with the Republican team, which could have a better chance of besting Democrats since their ace pitcher, Rep. Cedric L. Richmond, D-La., is recovering from shoulder surgery .  

The 54th Annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game will be held at Nationals Park on June 11.  

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