Disclaimer: This article is non-partisan in nature. It is not to be taken as an endorsement of any party or candidate in the coming U.S. elections. This is merely highlighting baseball players who went on to hold public office, or have run for public office after retiring from the game.
Steve Garvey (R-CA)
Steve Garvey is the latest retired ballplayer to run for public office. He has won his Republican primary and will face off against Democrat Adam Schiff for what was Diane Feinstein’s seat in the U.S. Senate. Garvey was a star in the 1970’s and 1980’s for two California based teams, the Dodgers and Padres. As a player, he compiled 2599 hits and 1308 RBI and was a ten time All-Star. He was also a four time Gold Glover and the NL MVP in 1974. He was also a charismatic presence off the field known as “Mister Clean” until his reputation was dented somewhat by paternity suits in the 1980’s. Garvey will be in tough running for the Republicans in a strongly Democrat leaning state, but he has the star power, name recognition and congeniality to make it a race in November, maybe even win it. Doing so would give Republicans a critical edge in gaining control of the Senate this coming November.
Fred H. Brown (D-NH)
The former New Hampshire governor and U.S. Senator had a brief career with the now Boston Red Sox that consisted of nine games across 1901 and 1902. His political career was more prolific though. Admitted to the bar in 1907, Brown was elected mayor of Somersworth, NH in 1914. President Woodrow Wilson then appointed Brown as District Attorney for New Hampshire, a post which Brown held until his successful run for governor in 1922. He would lose the governorship to John G. Winant in 1924 but Winant appointed him to the New Hampshire Public Service Commission, which kept him busy until his successful U.S. Senate run in 1932. He would serve there until his 1938 electoral defeat. FDR would subsequently name him to the post of Comptroller General Of The United States, where he would oversee construction of the Shasta Dam and the Jefferson Memorial.
Jim Bunning (R-KY)
The only Hall Of Famer who also served in the U.S. Senate is also the only baseball player who served in both the senate and the house. He is also the only pitcher to twirl a perfect game on Father’s Day (June 21, 1963) and appropriately enough, he would father nine children. Bunning was a nine time All-Star and won 224 games in the majors. He was inducted into the Hall Of Fame in 1996, when he was representing KY-4 in the U.S. Congress. Bunning was first elected to Congress in 1987 before making the jump to represent Kentucky in the U.S. Senate in 1999, where he would serve until 2011. Previous to all this, he had been a state senator and had mounted an unsuccessful run for governor. His main legislative achievement was the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004. He was also active in the senate investigations into steroid use in baseball which should surprise nobody.
Pius Schwert (D-NY)
Briefly a Yankee, Pius Schwert logged twelve games in parts of the 1914 and 1915 seasons. The Angola, NY native would then serve in the navy during WW1 before trying a comeback in the minors, including for the Buffalo Bisons. He would eventually become politically active at local levels before finding himself a replacement candidate for the U.S. Congress representing NY-42 IN 1938 as James Mead successfully sought a senate seat. He would win re-election in 1940 and turn his sights of being mayor of Buffalo when a heart attack ended his life in early 1941. His time in Congress would be spent advocating for aid to France and Britain as WW2 ramped up and promoting youth wellness and vocational programs.
Wilmer Mizell (R-NC)
Besides having one of the coolest nicknames in “Vinegar Bend”, Mizell forged a ten year MLB career as a pitcher after growing up playing ball in Vinegar Bend, AL. He was part of both the miserable 1962 Mets team but also of the 1960 World Series champion Pirates. He would settle in North Carolina during his playing career and therefore represent the state in his political life. Mizell would serve six years in Congress starting in 1969 representing NC-5 before losing his seat. Mizell would be noted for his support of Nixon era trade policy and strident campaigning on fiscal responsibility and anti-Communism. He was also a proponent of upholding MLB’s antitrust exemption and was an opponent of the Blue Ridge Power dam project. He also supported legislation to curb tobacco exports. Mizell would cap off his political career serving as an Assistant Secretary in the Reagan and Bush administrations for agriculture and intergovernmental affairs.
John Tener (R-PA)
If you were wondering where the tradition of the annual congressional baseball game comes from, look no further than the Irish born former pitcher, NL president and PA-24 congressional representative. Tener pitched from 1885-1890, going 25-31 before turning to banking and his eventually successful run for Congress in 1908. He would organize the first congressional baseball game that same year. He had intended to run for re-election but was put up as the Republican candidate for governor instead, serving from 1911-15. From 1913-15, he served concurrently as state governor and NL league president. He was responsible during his time as governor for what became the Pennsylvania Historical Commission. He would also launch the state’s School Code that stipulated minimum salaries for school staff and mandated school attendance for all children ages 8 to 16, regardless of race. Legislative packages would also give the state of Pennsylvania control of the maintenance of over 6000 roads which remains in place today.
*Bonus* Walter Johnson (R-MD)
Yes, that Walter Johnson. He was not successful in his bid to represent MD-6, but he did serve as Commissioner for Montgomery County, MD (where yours truly was visiting family recently) from 1938 after settling in Germantown, MD in 1936.
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