Pascrell, late stalwart of Congressional Baseball Game, inducted into Hall of Fame

By the time Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson)’s final season in the Congressional Baseball Game rolled around last year, the congressman wasn’t exactly at an age where he could run around the bases without breaking a sweat. But Pascrell was doggedly committed to the game, and he remained a batting coach at age 87.

Today, nine months after Pascrell’s death, that commitment was rewarded. Shortly before the first pitch was thrown at tonight’s Congressional Baseball Game, Pascrell was inducted into the Congressional Baseball Hall of Fame, making him the hall’s 33rd inductee.

“Bill loved baseball,” former Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Michigan) said during Pascrell’s induction. “And he especially loved the Congressional Baseball Game: the players, the coaches, and sometimes he would even engage the Republican fans.”

Pascrell’s three sons – Bill III, David, and Glenn – were present for the brief ceremony in Nationals Park.

First elected to the House in 1996, Pascrell was a member of the Democratic team every year he was in Congress (save for 2020, when the game was canceled due to Covid). He actively played in the game through his 60s and 70s, then shifted to being first base coach and batting coach as he grew older.

In a 2016 interview with Roll Call, Pascrell said he’s had a passion for baseball all his life; he played baseball as a child and young adult, and frequently pushed for baseball-related legislation and honors while in Congress.

“Baseball’s my favorite sport and I played it all my life,” Pascrell told Roll Call. “I became the hitting coach eight years ago. The fact that we won seven games in a row, I want to bring that to your attention. I wanted to be a baseball player. I wanted to play in the Major Leagues. It took me getting to Congress to play in Nationals Stadium. I looked around and said, ‘I finally made the Major Leagues.’”

Pascrell’s death last year left the Baseball Game without any remaining New Jerseyans from either party. It will be up to voters next year whether to judge their sitting representatives on that basis.