U.S. Congressman John Shimkus of Collinsville will take the mound at Nationals Park when congressional Republicans square off with their Democratic counterparts at 6:05 Central time Tuesday night.He'll be trying to exorcise the demons from his last outing, when Republican members of Congress fell to Democrats 15-10 in 2009.
Shimkus, 52, who pitched junior varsity for West Point, said lawmakers take the seven-inning game seriously. "This isn't pansy ball," he said. "We're playing the best ball we can at our age. It's bragging rights for the whole year."
Shimkus will wear the uniform of the University of Illinois Springfield Prairie Stars, who debut next spring.
The game was featured in a June 29, 2010, article in the Chicago Tribune.
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