Members of NAFCU and its board of directors joined hundreds of Democratic staff and their bosses last week before the official opening of the Democratic National Convention for the ultimate baseball experience: the Red Sox-Yankees baseball game at Fenway Park.
The baseball game, part of a membership-only event sponsored by the Democratic Leadership Council, was one of many staged at the oldest and one of the best known stadiums in the major leagues as a backdrop to the convention, being held in Boston for the first time.
Friendly Fenway, as it is known in Boston, was to host numerous events throughout last week's convention activities, providing memories for lobbyists, delegates and other individuals attending.
"Besides being a lot of fun, it gave us a chance to talk and get to know some of the members in an informal setting," said Bill Donovan, chief lobbyist for NAFCU, and a native New Englander who also happens to be a Red Sox fan. Among the lawmakers at the Sunday night game were: Democratic Sens. Joseph Biden (DE), Christopher Dodd (CT), Jack Reed (RI), Debbie Stabenow (MI), Tom Carper (DE) and Reps. Joseph Crowley (NY), Adam Schiff (CA) and Joseph Baca (CA).
The next day, when the ballplayers had departed and the stadium was vacant, it was CUNA's turn at an event sponsored by the Democratic National Committee for its corporate donors. CUNA lobbyists John McKechnie and Gary Kohn, himself an ardent Yankee fan, joined Red Sox old-timers, like former pitchers Louis Tiant and Jim Lonborg, on a tour of the 82-year-old stadium and a photo and autograph session. "It was really cool," said McKechnie, who added it was another chance to meet and speak in a fun, informal setting with the many congressional staffers at the event.
Tuesday the NAFCU lobbyists returned with hundreds of others to tour and even take their turn at bat. NAFCU lobbyists Murry Chanow, Brad Thaler and Dillon Shea each got to take a few swings at the plate and collect autographs from Red Sox veterans, including Dwight Evans and Dick Stuart, along with Tiant and Lonborg.
"It was awesome; just to look up and see the wall (the famous 50-foot high leftfield wall, known as the Green Monster), the seats, the scoreboard," said Chanow, who organized last week's NAFCU events at the convention.
