League of Nation: 1917

One wonders if Congressman Mudd didn't actually take aim for Wilson. The election of 1916 had been a very close and divisive race!

On a side note, Wilson was a former ball player himself, having been forced to quit because of frail health, and I have read somewhere he was the first president to attend a World Series game.

Dave, you have out-done yourself in the clever title department with this one.

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'Donkey' Kicks 22 to 21

Wilson Tosses the Sphere

The Democratic donkey had a kick in all of its figurative four legs yesterday. He won the annual congressional baseball game from the Republicans by a ninth-inning rally - won it after the President of the United States had given up hopes for his party and returned with Mrs. Wilson to the White House.

The score was 22 to 21, but, despite the fact that 43 men crossed the counting board, it was the most exciting congressional game for years. The entire proceeds are to go to the Red Cross, and in addition to the sum realized from the gate receipts, hundreds of dollars more were obtained from contributions and from the sale of score cards.

President Wilson and Mrs. Wilson sat through eight innings of the game. he was cheered when he caught a ball and threw it out to the Umpire Clark Griffith before the game started. In the seventh inning, Representative Sydney Mudd, pitcher for the Republicans, drove a foul ball into the presidential box, which Mr. Wilson barely managed to dodge.

Vice President Marshall sat in a box behind the catcher and Speaker Champ Clark was perched far back in the grand stand, and rooted for the Democrats. Members of the diplomatic corps, cabinet members, army and navy officials, members of Congress, and officialdom in general attended the game.

Marvin Jones, of Amarillo, Tex., doesn't like Republicans. He defeated his Republican opponent in the 1916 election by 30,000 majority and defeated the Republicans yesterday almost single handed. Seven times Jones faced Pitcher Sydney Mudd and seven times he drove out ringing base hits. Four times the Texan led rallies which lifted the Democrats out of the slough of despond. He stole five bases, and once he took a lead off base in order to draw a throw and give a Democratic runner a chance to score.
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Umpire Clark Griffith had a busy day. In the eighth inning McClintic tackled Farr in football style to prevent him from scoring and Jones tagged the Pittsburgh representative. When the men arose Griffith waved Farr across the counting station and the Democrats gathered around Griffith and inserted some remarks into the record.
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In the line-up were the following: Democrats: Jones, of Texas, third base; Bankhead, Alabama, left field; [Pat] Harrison, captain, short stop and pitcher; Nicholls, South Carolina, center field; McClintic, Oklahoma, catcher; Rouse, Kentucky, first base; Webb, North Carolina, pitcher and shortstop; Whaley, South Carolina, second base; Sears, Florida, right field; Mr. Harrison concluded to be pitcher before the game was over, and being captain, Mr. Webb had to retire, much against his will.

Republican line-up: Miller, Minnesota, captain, shortstop; Morin, Pennsylvania, first base; Mudd, Maryland, pitcher; Johnson, South Dakota, catcher; Sanders, Indiana, center field; Ireland, Illinois, left field; Bacharach, New Jersey and Elston, California, third base; Vestal, Indiana, right field; Norton, North Dakota and Kalaniaole, second base.

Washington Post, July 1, 1917