WASHINGTON, DC—An 8,976-foot foul ball off the bat of Washington third baseman Ryan Zimmerman crashed through the U.S. Capitol Building rotunda Sunday afternoon, prompting both the Nationals and the opposing Pittsburgh Pirates to gasp, turn to each other in shock, and immediately run full speed out of Nationals Park.
"As soon as I hit it, I knew it was headed straight toward Capitol Hill—I just kept saying to myself, 'Not the dome, not the dome, not the dome,'" Zimmerman said. Both teams, all four umpires, and the 32,457 fans in attendance winced in horror, however, as the ball kept carrying, made a loud smashing noise, and left a gaping hole in the rotunda's neoclassical architecture.
However, as soon as the teams heard the Capitol Building's front door swing open, they put their differences aside and sped frantically back to their hotel rooms. "Congress is going to be so mad," said Nationals first baseman Nick Johnson, peering out his window, expecting to see the 535 members of the House and Senate pull into the hotel parking lot. "This was the worst time to do it, too, because they're already in a bad mood, what with the election stuff and the war and the recession, and all.
The statement went on to demand that the Nationals pay for all the damages, which total over $400 million—more than five times the entire team payroll. Because of this, players are expected to either find part-time jobs to cover the cost or work off the expenses by taking positions as congressional aides in the offseason."This stinks," said Zimmerman, who attempted to persuade local resident Henry Adelson, a Nationals season-ticket holder and D.C.
However, President Bush has called such actions "unnecessary" and "too harsh," saying that all will be forgiven if the players come down from their hotel rooms, say they're sorry, promise to be more careful, and allow Bush to participate in team batting practice every day from now through the 2016 season.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Curl Up on Your Couch With the Best New Winter Book ReleasesTFW you accidentally spend more money on books than a new coat...
Read more »
Foul balls hurt hundreds of fans at MLB ballparksIn 2018, a grandmother celebrating her 79th birthday at Dodgers Stadium in L.A. died after being hit in the head by a foul ball.
Read more »
Foul balls hurt hundreds of fans at MLB ballparks. See where your team stands on netting.In 2018, a grandmother celebrating her 79th birthday at Dodgers Stadium in L.A. died after being hit in the head by a foul ball.
Read more »
The Chore War Is Real—and Your Marriage Is LosingThe new book ‘Fair Play’ argues that it's time men start doing more of the work women always do.
Read more »
‘Hexagon’: First Look At Superstar DJ Don Diablo’s Sci-Fi ComicEXCLUSIVE: The long list of celebrities who have ventured into writing comic books includes quite a few music stars (among them Neil Young, Tom Morello, Dave Stewart, and Gerard Way) and it’s…
Read more »