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Congressional women to take on female media members in annual softball game

Congressional women’s softball game has raised $1.3 million in its 11-year history

Members of Congress show off the American flags on their uniforms before the seventh annual Congressional women’s softball game near Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. (Al Drago/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Members of Congress show off the American flags on their uniforms before the seventh annual Congressional women’s softball game near Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. (Al Drago/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Congressional women will try and reclaim softball supremacy after three-straight losses to female members of the press during the 11th-annual Congressional Women’s Softball Game. 

The event, set for June 19, features a clash between female members of the House and Senate against the women who cover them. All proceeds from the game will benefit the Young Survivor’s Coalition, an organization that raises money and provides resources for young adults affected by breast cancer.

“This annual game provides women leaders of Washington an opportunity to unite around the important mission of beating breast cancer,” game President and Treasurer Atalie Ebersole said.

The women’s Congressional softball game has raised $1.3 million for spreading breast cancer awareness since its inception, according to the game’s organizing committee. 

The first Congressional softball game was played in 2009 between congresswomen and their female staffers after Democratic Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz revealed that she was battling breast cancer.

The 2019 rosters will be announced in the coming weeks.

Last year, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, played for the bipartisan team. Utah Republican Rep. Mia Love was declared the team’s MVP.

“Raising women’s voices to fight against breast cancer is something we all share, both on the press side and on the member side. And so this is an opportunity for all of us to come together for a good cause and make a difference,” Gillibrand told Roll Call in a video before last year’s game.

Watch: Members of Congressional Softball Team Talk About the Cancer Survivors They’re Honoring

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The press team last year, named the Bad News Babes, featured reporters from Roll Call, The New York Times, CNN, PBS NewsHour and other outlets.

Roll Call’s own Bridget Bowman was named MVP of the team after she made history with the game’s first home run — a three-run shot.

[Congressional Women’s Softball Is No Dry Affair]

Last year’s game was called in the fifth inning after rain moved in, giving the Bad News Babes a 5-0 victory over the female lawmakers. It was the team’s third-straight victory. 

This year’s ball game will be held on Wednesday, June 19 at Wakin Recreation Center, 420 12th Street SE, at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are $10, and they will soon be available for purchase online or can be bought at the gate on game day. Admission is free for children under the age of 5.

The Congressional Women’s Softball Game is not to be confused with the Congressional Baseball Game, an annual competition between Congressional Republicans and Democrats.

That game will be played June 26 at Nationals Park.

Watch: Members Fail to Beat the Press — and the Rain — at the Congressional Softball Game

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