Let's hear from Missouri Republican Senator Kit Bond.…. September 29th, 1998 …. the year that St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Mark McGwire captivated the sports world by hitting a then-record 70 home runs, shattering Roger Maris’ 1961 record of 61:

"Mark McGwire is a man of immense physical stature, conditioning and strength. When I met him I was overwhelmed with his size and muscle. But he is a man of great mental dedication, of great concentration, determination, and--reading the column in today's Washington Post by Tom Boswell--probably possessing other extraordinary capabilities of which we mere mortals cannot be aware."

That quote from Senator Bond reminds us of something happy: It's the beginning of the baseball season.

But also, something sad: Senator Bond citing the Washington Post sports page reminds us: there used to be a Washington Post sports page.

Now, it's gone.

But we bring it back for the annual "Extreme Mortman" baseball episode.

How do we pull that off? By hearing Congress talk about the Post sports section – and its writers …

What have members of Congress said about the Washington Post sports section?

Which Washington Post sports writers have been recognized by Congress?

And what do they all say about baseball.

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