Politics is usually thought of as the sport of choice in Washington, but Congress also has been known to dabble in baseball. Here are some highlights of congressional oversight of Major League Baseball over the past century:

1913: Rep. Thomas Gallagher, D-Ill., calls for a congressional investigation into monopolistic actions by baseball after a contract dispute between Ty Cobb and the Detroit Tigers.

1927: A bill is introduced to create a federal baseball commission to take over the duties and responsibilities of the commissioner's office. The bill does not pass.

1945: New York Rep. Vito Marcantonio, a member of the American Labor party, calls for an investigation into why there were no black players in the sport, but there is no record of Congress acting on the request.

1951: The House Judiciary Committee's antitrust subcommittee holds a series of hearings on "monopoly power" in baseball. Lawmakers threaten to revoke baseball's antitrust exemption to prod baseball to expand to the West Coast. Ty Cobb is among those testifying.

1957: The subcommittee holds more hearings after the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants announce plans to move to the West Coast. Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick predicts a "chaotic scramble" for players if the antitrust exemption and reserve clause are eliminated. The reserve clause kept players on one team unless they were traded or released. Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller says owners treat players like "pawns."

1958: Baseball stars Feller, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Robin Roberts, Eddie Yost and Jackie Robinson testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee's antitrust panel. New York Yankees manager Casey Stengel confounds the panel with his rambling "Stengelese" testimony.

1971: Two months after the Washington Senators' final game, four U.S. House members fly to Arizona to confront owners about moving the team to Texas for the following season.

1976: Following the announcement that the American League would add teams in Seattle and Toronto the following season, Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn tells the Select House Committee on Professional Sports that National League expansion is inevitable. The committee was formed after baseball refused to put a team in Washington. Despite Kuhn's assurances, the National League would not expand again until 1993.

1986: Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth tells the House Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Control that baseball has taken care of its drug problem.

1988: The Senate Task Force on the Expansion of Major League Baseball warns baseball to come up with a timetable for expansion or face the repeal of the sport's antitrust exemption. In 1991, baseball awards teams to Denver and Miami, to begin play in 1993.

2002: The House Judiciary Committee grills Commissioner Bud Selig over baseball's plans to eliminate the Minnesota Twins and Montreal Expos before the following season. Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, a former professional wrestler, sits next to Selig and joins in the criticism. Baseball eventually abandons the plan.

2004: Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., warns baseball that unless it comes up with a more comprehensive steroids testing policy, his Commerce Committee will come up with "legislative remedies." Baseball announces a stronger steroids testing plan the following year.