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Ros-Lehtinen Won’t Be Playing in Her Last Softball Game

Retiring Florida congresswoman can’t take the field with two broken ribs

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., has been playing in the game since it started 10 years ago. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., has been playing in the game since it started 10 years ago. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Retiring Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen will be cheering very loudly from the members’ team dugout at the Congressional Women’s Softball Game on Wednesday because she won’t be playing.

The Florida Republican, 65, broke two ribs last weekend.

“Sadly I will not be able to demonstrate my prowess and beat the press with my incredible athletic skills on the softball field,” she said. “I was walking with my family at Fairchild Gardens in my district and tripped over an object, which brought me to the realization I don’t have the ability to go through them, causing two broken ribs,” she said in a statement to HOH.

Besides cheering, her plan is to “distract the press team, and [disobey] doctor’s orders by being the first to snatch the trophy from the opposing side cause we all know they’re losing tonight.”

The congresswoman added, “I don’t know why the press team even bother showing up when our Members team have been likened, by astute and impartial observers such as me, to a World Series-caliber group.”

Ros-Lehtinen has been a staple of the game since it was created 10 years ago. After the 2017 game, she spoke to HOH about her decision to retire.

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