Nearly four months after he was shot and almost killed at baseball practice on the eve of the Congressional Baseball Game, Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) will finally get to take the field at Nationals Park. Scalise will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the first game of the National League Division Series matchup between the Washington Nationals and the Chicago Cubs on Friday night.
House Majority Whip @SteveScalise will throw out the ceremonial first pitch of #NLDS Game 1 between the Nationals and the Cubs.
— Jane (@JaneLednovich) October 6, 2017
Scalise is an avid baseball fan and eagerly looked forward to the annual Congressional Baseball Game, adding an extra layer of heartbreak to an already-devastating incident. He was the worst injured in the shooting, and spent time in the intensive care unit before being discharged to a rehabilitation facility.
He returned to Congress last week to raucous applause from his colleagues, and gave a short speech where he thanked one of the officers who saved his life back in June. Scalise, whose leg was shattered in the attack, has since been spotted on the Hill with a Louisiana State University-themed scooter that was decorated by his wife.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the Congressional Baseball Game raised a record amount of money for its charities, and there was an impressive show of bipartisanship between the Republican and Democrat teams. The two sides met for dinner and everyone wore donated LSU apparel in Scalise's honor.
What an amazing tribute from the Nationals for Scalise. (And let's hope he's able to channel former President George W. Bush in his pitch tonight.)
