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Bipartisanship, teamwork, fun at Bi-State Softball Showdown

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* St. Louis Public Radio

A slate of legislators from Missouri took home the 2022 Bi-State Softball Showdown title against Illinois.

The game started slow, then both the Show-Me State and the Land of Lincoln picked up five runs in the third inning. Missouri’s three runs in the fifth sealed the team’s 8-6 victory.

Greater St. Louis Inc., the largest chamber of commerce in the region, put on the event for the second timeto “celebrate the bi-state, bipartisan cooperation that makes the St. Louis metro strong.”

“Even though one team will be in the field while the other is at bat, they are both the home team to us,” said GSL CEO Jason Hall. “St. Louis is incredibly lucky to have such a strong bi-state, bipartisan delegation that works together to drive pro-growth policy in Springfield and Jefferson City, and we want to take a moment to celebrate their efforts to move our metro forward.”

* Pantagraph

“They’re a lot younger (of a) team with some fresher legs,” Hoffman said. “I think towards the end of the game, we got a little tired. But we played so hard the entire way and I got to give them all credit. I truly don’t believe we lost, they just
beat us at the end of the day.” […]

Team Illinois also had strong play from [Rep. Bob Rita], who pitched a complete game and hit a two-run double. State Rep. Mike Kelly, D-Chicago and state Rep. Lance Yednock, D-Ottawa, also played well. House Speaker Chris Welch, D-Hillside, who played baseball in college, played a strong second base.

For lawmakers like State Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago, who was appointed in 2019, events like Monday’s are important for “team-building” and “relationship-building” with colleagues, especially across the aisle. She said there’s been few opportunities to do so the past few years given the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The best part was just honestly getting to spend fun, low key time with colleagues in the House and Senate in both parties and our counterparts in Missouri,” she said. “That was just so cool.”

* Images from the showdown…






We’ll get ‘em next year.

posted by Isabel Miller
Thursday, Aug 11, 22 @ 2:45 pm

Comments

  1. This is truly great, for all the right reasons, with all the great baseball (softball) feels.

    Comradeship and fun, love that, and glad the bipartisanship is seen on the field “one uniform” if you will.

    Looks like a lot of fun too

    Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 11, 22 @ 3:02 pm

  2. Ray LaHood used to organize these games - Illinois only. That seems like 100 years ago. It’s a good thing

    Comment by Sayitaintso Thursday, Aug 11, 22 @ 3:03 pm

  3. What’s that stuff on their hands? That’s not softball. Looks fun though.

    Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Thursday, Aug 11, 22 @ 3:18 pm

  4. ===What’s that stuff on their hands?===

    12-inch ball. They won’t agree to play real softball over there.

    Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 11, 22 @ 3:20 pm

  5. I would buy one of those “Illinois” jerseys. That would make for a good charity fundraising item.

    Comment by Old Shepherd Thursday, Aug 11, 22 @ 4:06 pm

  6. Great job. Shows they can play well together. Now I wish they could do well working together.

    Comment by MoralMinority Thursday, Aug 11, 22 @ 5:12 pm

  7. I wish I could buy the Illinois jersey.

    Comment by Fivegreenleaves Thursday, Aug 11, 22 @ 8:52 pm

  8. I am fine with our legislators losing every softball team they play with any of the neighboring states so long as they believe that all of the people have rights.

    Missouri seems to struggle a little bit with this notion. There are hundreds of thousands of women in that state that couldn’t care less about how well their legislators play softball.

    Comment by Candy Dogood Friday, Aug 12, 22 @ 2:16 am

  9. == …so long as they believe that all of the people have rights. ==

    Maybe take a break from politics for a bit, and just enjoy this event for what it is. Life is too short to make everything about politics.

    Comment by Occasional Quipper Friday, Aug 12, 22 @ 8:16 am

  10. Maybe Quad Cities Chamber can arrange a game next year between Iowa and Illinois at the Field of Dreams in Dyersville

    Comment by Unionman Friday, Aug 12, 22 @ 8:45 am

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