WASHINGTON (7News) — The 15th annual Congressional Women's Softball Game, the all-female counterpart to the Congressional Baseball Game, is taking place on June 26 and 7News has everything you need to know about Wednesday's politician vs. journalist showdown.
What is the Congressional Women's Softball Game?
The game was first played in 2009, organized by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), fmr. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO, 1996-2013), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), following Wasserman Schultz's breast cancer diagnosis. The group initially brought together female members of Congress in a game against their female campaign staffers.
The next year, members of the D.C. press corps were asked to participate as the Members' opponents, thus the modern structure of the game was born.
All proceeds from the event will go towards the Young Survival Coalition, an organization dedicated to supporting young women with breast cancer.
Since its inception, the Congressional Women's Softball Game has raised over $3.7 million for the charity. Organizers estimate the 2024 game will raise over $600,000.
Who's going to be playing?
As mentioned earlier, unlike the Congressional Baseball Game, the softball game pits members of the U.S. Congress against local media.
The press corps is on a hot streak, winning six of the last seven games played, and are 10-4 all-time. Last year they defeated the politicians 15-9.
In the announcer's booth for Wednesday's contest will be MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell, joined by two former representatives and players themselves, Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL, 2013-23) and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL, 1989-2019). The trio replaces longtime staples, CNN's Dana Bash and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).