Brisket, beer and pizza at stake in World Series bet

Just as Reps. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) and Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.) settled their friendly wager, another bet is brewing on Capitol Hill. 

 Hochul’s office sent out a photo of her settling the score with Israel on Monday, after losing a bet that the Buffalo Bills would win their game earlier this month against the New York Giants. The congresswoman hand-delivered a batch of genuine Buffalo wings and Orleans County apples to her colleague.

 Now Reps. Joe Barton (R-Texas) and Lacy Clay (D-Mo.) are getting in on the food-fighting action, placing their bets on the outcome of the World Series.

 If the St. Louis Cardinals win, Clay’s staff will guzzle down a case of Lone Star beer and feast on barbecue brisket from a famed Arlington, Texas, restaurant, courtesy of Barton.

 But if the Texas Rangers seal the deal, Clay says he’ll have Barton’s office drinking up a case of Budweiser and chowing down on a deep-dish pie from a legendary St. Louis pizzeria.

 And the participants in the bipartisan bet aren’t above some good old-fashioned trash-talking. Barton said in a statement, “St. Louis may have a better baseball pedigree that includes such characters as Dizzy Dean and the Gashouse Gang, but if Rep. Clay thinks his Cardinals are going to beat the Rangers he must be Dizzy.”

 The Missouri congressman countered, “My St. Louis Cardinals have won 10 World Championships and 18 National League Pennants. Do they even play baseball in Texas?” 

The Rangers are leading the Series over the Cardinals, three games to two.

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