Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is very concerned about the potential injuries to his Republican members.
Wednesday marks the annual Congressional Baseball Game, an annual bipartisan event that raises money for charity. Johnson told Fox News' senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram that there's a possibility that his members could be injured while playing and endanger the GOP majority.
"We tell them all to be careful. We have a small margin in the House. A 3-vote margin. I don’t want anybody in the hospital. We don’t need that. Take it easy. Have a good time," Johnson said, according to Pergram's post on X.
An account replied to Pergram's post and tagged X's AI, asking for the average age of the members of Congress.
"The average age of the 119th Congress is about 58-59 years, with the House around 57.5-57.7 and the Senate around 63.8-64.7," Grok responded. The AI also noted, "Older age may increase injury risks in the Congressional Baseball Game, as seen in past incidents like a 1994 arm break, but many members train rigorously, suggesting varied fitness levels. Data aligns across sources like Pew and FiscalNote, though exact figures vary slightly."
Former U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) told the Texas Tribune in 2019 that over 20 years, he's had "a broken nose, two torn calf muscles and a broken and dislocated shoulder."
"The next morning, you’re 118 years old and sore as can be," he confessed.
Former Rep. Mike Oxley (R-OH) ran into former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in 2011, shattering Oxley's left arm, Roll Call reported at the time.
Former Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) tore his meniscus and ACL in 2008, colliding with former Rep. Joe Baca (D-CA).