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This article has been tagged since August 2007. The Congressional Softball League is a softball league organized by the non-profit Congressional Athletic Association consisting of teams of Congressional staffers as well as employees of other federal agencies and private Washington D.C. companies and organizations. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...
A non-profit organization (often called non-profit org or simply non-profit or not-for-profit) can be seen as an organization that doesnt have a goal to make a profit. ...
Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political...
Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United...
History
The league was founded in 1979. The Congressional Athletic Association is a non-profit, recreational organization which organizes softball teams from the U. S. Congress, Federal agencies and private companies and organizations. From 1979 until September 10, 2001 the tournament was played over a two week period at either Andrews Airforce Base or Bolling Airforce Base. The games were played from Monday thru Tursday and were played on lit regulation sized fields. This allowed the opportunity for teams to play under the lights and it also allowed for greater league participation since it occurred during the week. After September 11th 2001, Gary Caruso who is the commissioner of the Congressional Softball League was forced to look for new fields because security concerns prohibited further use of the Andrews and Bollings fields. A former player on the Yellow Journalists softball team enisted the help of Fairfax County and after a two week delay the 2001 tournament was completed at Wakefield Park in Springfield Virginia. Due to the prohibitive cost of using lighted county fields Mr. Caruso has been forced to use an unlit pair of fields in Fairfax County since 2002. This has caused the tournament to be spread out over 3 to 4 weekends instead of the 2 weeks prior to September 11, 2001. Some people have complained about the short fence on field number 1 at Eakin Park but that is the way the county set up the field. Furthermore the short fence benefited long ball hitters. In 2002 the three time champion Suspension of the Rules hit 2 quick home runs at field number 1 and appeared to be heading for a quick and easy victory over the Wild Hawks. This turned out not to be the case and for the first time since 1998 SOTR did not make the final four. The field although short is fair to both teams. Braddock Park is a far better facility then Eakin Park but I doubt that there will be many home runs hit by the House Softball League. Since the House Softball League Tournament is not being played under the lights the tournament must start at 7:00 a.m. which means that any team that doesnt have a bye in the first round will have to be up at 5:00 in order to drive to Clifton Virginia. The Congressional Softball Tournament does not start until 9:00 a.m. It must be pointed out that not a single member of any of the republican house teams ever offered help in getting the Congressional Softball Tournament moved back to either Andrews or Bolling Airforce base. Mr. Reeds team enjoyed the benefit of playing at both fields but never lifted a finger to help out.
House Softball League In the off-season before the 2006 season beginning in April, 115 teams seceded from the league in protest of requested rules changes that were consistently ignored by league Commissioner Gary Caruso.[citation needed] These rules changes included, but were not limited to; a straight playoff system based on seeding from 1 to 64 (exactly the same as other tournaments including the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball tournaments), greater interaction with the Senate Softball League, and most importantly, full transparency of league finances.
The game was called after 55 minutes which is the standard time limit for an ASA sactioned softball game.[citation needed] Mr. Reed felt that all games should go seven innings and he felt that his team was robbed of a potential victory. What Mr. Reed omitted is that his team failed to hit that day and lost a low scoring game. All low scoring games tend to move quickly and Mr. Reeds team lost. That is why the House Softball League has no time limits on its tournament games. What Mr. Reed did not tell his teams is that they pay the ASA umpires in fifteen minute increments for any games that are over the fifty-five minute time limit as established by ASA. Mr. Reed has also made it clear that the "recreational teams" in his league have no chance to participate in the end of the year tournament. Gary Caruso felt that since the Congressional Softball League is a casual/beer league any team that wanted to play in the end of the season tournament could do so. As for the seeding Mr. Reed's formula is flawed simply because nobody plays on regulation fields during the season,teams are encouraged to run up the score to help with their runs scored vs runs allowed and there are no umpires or balls and strikes. Also rosters are a joke because they are not checked even after the final roster is turned in on August 1st. I cannot address the allegation of financial irregularities that Mr. Reed is accusing Mr. Caruso of. I do know that The House Softball League posts a budget and it would benefit Mr. Caruso to do the same. Financial transparency is important.
In 2005 a tourist was hit by a fly ball while walking on the mall. This person chose not to pursue legal action against the team or league. As a result of this incident Mr. Caruso consulted with an attorney who advised him that both the team sponsor and the league is responsible for any injuries suffered by pedestrians in and aroound the mall. In 2006 Mr. Caruso required that any teams playing in the Congressional Softball League be covered under a policy that the league bought. Currenty the House Softball League does not have an insurance policy so its league fees are cheaper. In order for the House Softball League to play at Braddock Park and use ASA umpires the league had to join ASA and pay a premium that protects the umpires in case of injury. Mr. Caruso has been requested to post the Declaration of Insurance page for transparency purpose. This policy also acts as secondary insurance for any player who is injured while playing softball. if they do not have insurance it acts as the primary insurance.
The new league, consisting of 115 bipartisan teams from the old league, is organized and directed by a commission incorporating representatives of teams, Democratic and Republican, with varying skill levels. It was important for the House Softball League to remove itself from the single person rule that had greatly diminished the ability of teams in the Congressional Softball League to effect change. This statement is incorrect. The Congressional Softball League has a rules committee that consists of current and past playes in the league. If Mr. Reed had addressed the rules committe many of the issues could haave been worked out.
The U.S House Softball league held it's first tournament on September 16, 2006 at Braddock Park in Clifton, VA. The top 32 teams participated in the tournament. Potomac Fever won the inaugural House League Championship defeating Denny's Grand Slams (Rep. Dennis Hastert) by a score of 15-1 in the Final. The top four teams were: Potomac Fever - Champions; Denny's Grand Slams - 2nd; Insliders - 3rd; Blue Pups - 4th.
On September 19, 2006, the new House Softball League champion, Potomac Fever, played the Senate League champion, RBI's of Texas, in the first annual "King of the Hill" game. Covered by local media, the game was immediate evidence of the evolution of play incorporated under the new House Softball League. Please note that Anthony Reed who is the commissioner of the House Softball League has not and will not extend an invitation to the winner of the Congressional Softball Tournament to play in the "King of the Hill" game. Mr. Reed has exhibited nothing but distain and contempt for the teams that chose to remain in the Congressional Softball League. The smack talk section of the House Softball League website is a perfect example of the disrespect and contempt that Mr. Reed has sowed against teams that just want to socialize and enjoy the game of softball.
In its 2nd year of existence in 2007 the U.S. House Softball team now includes 123 teams. This year's tournament has been expanded to include 48 teams.
Rules Unlike many softball leagues, strikes are not called unless the batter swings and misses or hits a foul ball.[1]
Many of the fields played on are public and thus cannot be reserved, forcing Congressional interns to wait at the fields—often for hours—to hold them.[2]
Games Games are played on the National Mall between the Washington Monument and the US Capitol, as well as in parks and at softball fields all over the city of Washington. Teams in the league are responsible for securing the locations for their team's games. Facing east across the Mall with ones back towards the Lincoln Memorial. ...
References - ^ CONGRESSIONAL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION INVITATIONAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT RULES. Rule 4.3.
- ^ Mulins, 2006, A1.
External links - House Softball League homepage
- Congressional Softball League homepage
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