Beer, hot dogs and sunshine made for a perfect afternoon at the ballpark last Thursday, but people visiting Busch Stadium weren’t there to see the St. Louis Cardinals.
Instead, they watched Missouri lawmakers defeat their legislative counterparts from Illinois, 7-4, in what officials from both sides hope will become an annual softball game. The winning team takes home both a shiny gold trophy and bragging rights to its respective state Capitol.
Rep. Robert Ross, R-Yukon, was named the game’s most valuable player.
Organized by the St. Louis Regional Chamber, the event was created to promote bistate cooperation, said Tom Chulick, the chamber’s president and CEO. Both states compete in a region that encompasses roughly 15 counties and 2.8 million people, Chulick said.
“For the region to be successful, we have to have collaboration not only across the aisle but across the rivers,” he said.
Legislators from both states are hoping for a rematch in Illinois.
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH