Sports

Congressional ballplayers talk trash

by Walter Pierce

In the run up to this week's annual congressional baseball game, the three Louisiana delegation members exchanged some serious taunts.

In the run up to this week's annual congressional baseball game, the three Louisiana delegation members participating on the diamond exchanged some serious taunts, with most directed at Congressman Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans.

Throwing from the mound with heat that clocks in around 80 or above, and a wicked curveball, Richmond helped the Dems topple the GOP in an embarrassing loss last year.

But Congressman Vance McAllister, R-Swartz, is also taking to the mound this year.

"I'm going to bean him," said McAllister. "That's how I'm going to beat him. I'm going to hit him right in the arm."

Richmond responded, "He doesn't throw hard enough to hit me, and don't forget I get to pitch, too."

In a recent follow-up interview from his office on the Hill, while he was icing down his shoulder, McAllister just laughed.

"He's probably right that I can't throw hard enough to hurt him. But I can hit him," McAllister said. "And I've been hit harder by better."

Not to be outdone, Congressman Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, noted that he was among the few batters to get a hit off of Richmond two years ago.

Participating congressmen get to pick their own jerseys, with Scalise sporting an Archbishop Rummel High School jersey this year, McAllister wearing threads from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and Richmond, who wore a Jackie Robinson jersey last year, scoring new digs from the Urban Youth Academy.