Despite the united motivation behind the game, especially this year, partisanship was hardly abandoned as Democrats and Republicans faced off, each side seriously itching for a win.
The Democrats' bats overpowered the Republicans, 11-2, to broke the 39-39 series tie.
Under the bright glare of the national spotlight, the congressional baseball game was transformed on Thursday a day after the shooting of majority whip Steve Scalise and three others at a practice session for the Republican team.
Scalise had surgery on Thursday that a MedStar Washington Hospital Center statement said was related to his internal injuries and a broken bone in his leg.
Scalise remains in critical condition at a hospital near the Capitol and has undergone multiple surgeries.
A shooting on Wednesday morning in Alexandria, Virginia, has brought a flood of prayers from politicians and communities who are united in faith following the attack.
Former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre presented the game ball to Capitol Police special agent David Bailey, who came out on the field on crutches after being injured in Wednesday's shooting, to throw out the first pitch to huge applause. Capitol Hill Police officers stand watch outside the House of Representatives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, June 15, 2017, a day after a gunman opened fire on a lawmakers playing baseball and wounded House Maj.
But after the shooting on Wednesday morning, the atmosphere resembled an actual Major League Baseball game rather than the traditional amateur matchup.
Bailey gave a good-natured shrug as the stadium applauded.
CoD: Modern Warfare Remastered Game Case Revealed, Could Be Available June 20th
There was a fan backlash to the restriction when Modern Warfare Remastered was announced a year ago . Hopefully, we'll see it happen, and then traffic for the game will no doubt pick up immensely.
"Members who served in the past talk about how Congress used to be a gentler, kinder place", she said. Scalise's close relationship to Democratic Representative and longtime friend Cedric Richmond is the ideal example.
Scalise, the No. 3 House Republican, arrived at the hospital via helicopter in shock, with intense internal bleeding and "an imminent risk of death", Sava said.
Both Republican and Democratic leaders at the game encouraged a sense of unity in the wake of the shooting during an otherwise politically rancorous time in Washington when the parties are sharply divided over healthcare legislation and investigations of the members of the Trump administration.
Trump wasn't able to attend the event in person due to security protocols.
Trump and First Lady Melania visited Scalise's family - as well as that of wounded officer Crystal Griner, who is also at MedStar Hospital- last night. Steve is our friend, he's a patriot, and he is a true fighter. He says the country is praying for all of the victims who are still recovering.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let's play ball!" he said.
More than $1 million has been raised for Congressional Sports for Charity, and more than 20,000 tickets have been sold for the game, the organizers wrote on Facebook Thursday afternoon.
"To the extent that people think this is just a game, they're wrong", Richmond told reporters Thursday. "ONE FAMILY", proclaimed a sign in the crowd.
After Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., was shot in 2011, we urged readers not to blame anyone but Jared Loughner, her deranged attacker, while deploring incendiary political rhetoric. James Hodgkinson had been a vocal opponent of the Republican party. The two are credited with stopping the gunman.
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