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As Congress debates, annual baseball game awaits

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats and Republicans take their age-old rivalry from the halls of Capitol Hill to the open air of a professional sports stadium on Thursday for an annual congressional baseball game whose stakes could hardly be higher.

Since 1909, when Democrats and Republicans began a tradition of donning gloves and playing each other once a year, the two sides have won an equal number of games, the organizers' website says.

In a city obsessed with massaging and spinning information, some tried to dampen expectations ahead of the game.

"I haven't played since grade school and I was terrible there," said Republican Mick Mulvaney, who started playing shortstop at the annual event two years ago.