Thursday is the 50th Anniversary of the Congressional Baseball Game and I predict a fun time for all sides of the political equation.

I’ve been announcing for the Democrats for over 12 years. Even though my playing days are over, it’s still a thrill to put on my White Sox uniform and head for the stadium.

I truly enjoy seeing lots of friends, some of who are playing in the game and others who have retired from Congress, but still come out to cheer their team on.

As I told Roll Call reporter David Meyers, having fun at sports can help reduce the barriers between people:

“Former Rep. Marty Russo (D-Ill.), a two-time most valuable player who now serves as a public address announcer for the game, agreed [to the camaraderie built through the game].

“It created a lot of relationships. Some of my closest friends — [former Republican players] [Mike] Oxley, [Zach] Wamp, [Kenny] Hulshof — I got to know them just because of the baseball game,” he said. “I think it’s the one thing that’s left where Members get to have fun together.”

This listing in the program for the Roll Call Congressional Baseball Hall of Fame brings back many memories!

1993: Marty Russo (D-Ill.): The Democrats had eight wins and one tie in the 18