He just finished playing in an Congressional baseball game.

Our next guest was recently seen playing baseball on television, only it wasn't on ESPN. It was on C-SPAN. I went and tried to watch some of the game, but as is often the case with C-SPAN, you know, my intent, my desire to watch our government function sometimes wears out after a few minutes of just the daily grind.

And it's kind of true in baseball too, so maybe that's why our congressmen play a baseball game. Here to discuss that game, some other sports topics, and just ask him about his job. He is the U.S. Congressman representing North Carolina's 13th District, covering parts of Wake, Johnson, Wayne, and Hardin Counties. You can check out his website, nickel.house.gov. Follow him on Instagram, at RepWileyNickel. On Twitter, at WileyNickel he is. WileyNickel, welcome to the program, sir. How are you? I'm doing great. I'm so excited to join you here today, Hayes.

Thanks so much for the time. And yes, tell me about the baseball game. Do you have to be invited? Are there tryouts?

How did you get involved? Or did you just sign up and they say you're on the team? Well, yeah, no, I mean, you know, everyone wants to play, pretty much plays in some way. But we have been playing Democrats against Republicans in the U.S. Congress since 1909. That's how long this game has been going. So it's an amazing tradition. We raised over $2 million for local charities in D.C. And we had somewhere just under 30,000 people show up at the Nats Field.

So, I mean, it was an amazing night. And I didn't get, like I said, I tried to watch some of it. I couldn't bring myself to watch an exhibition baseball game.

I have trouble. I did PA for minor league baseball and it still is too long for me to sit through games, although now they're speeding up the games. I saw that the Democrats took the L. How did you do personally? Did you get to play in the game? Yeah, I played, you know, I got behind in the pitch count and struck out.

It was not the most productive at bat. But we're you know, we got a lot closer and, you know, put some runs on the board and it's a game that is definitely winnable for us next year. So the group of us that are really committed are already starting to scrimmage at least once a month for the next year.

So we want to we want to win this one in a year. And this job, I've had the ability to I've had the privilege to be able to obviously enter a bunch of sports arenas and places. I've also had a couple of places.

Duke University invites the media over. We've gotten to play in Cameron Indoor Stadium, which is obviously like a cool experience. What was it like just being in a Major League Baseball park and actually playing baseball? And I'm assuming you've been doing that game and then you're sitting there at the plate where you've seen professional baseball players. What was that experience like?

No, I mean, just absolutely unbelievable. Of course, it was the first time I've ever been on a major league field like this. And, you know, we got to do warm ups for a good solid hour in the morning and then we came back later for the game.

But I mean, just just, you know, the manicured grass, you know, every every stitch of dirt, you know, just taken care of in an amazing way. It was it was a lot of fun to do it. And and it's really one of these great bipartisan things that, you know, a great tradition in Washington and a great way to get to know my colleagues, you know, the Democratic colleagues and my Republican colleagues because of because of this game. So those are the things that I really try to do and focus on, because if you serve with 435 people, you know, you really want to build those relationships to get things done.

And this was a great help with that. I think that's one of the things sports is great at. I play in a basketball game around here with a bunch of people that work in the bar and restaurant and service industry and something like the music industry. And it's just cool. It's very similar.

It's playing sport, but also like hanging out with colleagues and staying in touch in a way that's like you're not directly talking about work, but you're building that relationship so that when you do work, it can go that much better. Wylie Nickel joining us. He's the representative from the 13th district. I also saw you were proudly represent talent. You tell what minor league team you were representing at the congressional baseball game.

The mudcats, the mudcats. I was you know, you get to pick the jersey you wear. So, you know, representing the mudcats was, you know, a great honor. So I got to wear the jersey and the hat. I thought that was super cool. The Bulls obviously get a lot of run in this area, but you don't represent them.

And, you know, a lot of people gravitate towards them because they got the movie and everything. You know, the mud, the five county stadium. You never know with congressional districts. This is not a political commentary.

I'm just saying sometimes they're drawn in a way that it's hard to tell exactly where they lie. Does five county stadium actually lie within the 13th district there? I don't know. I mean, it's so close. Yeah.

I mean, you've got, you know, right there in the center, but we've got all of Johnson County and it is it is definitely a Johnson County team. Yeah. Yeah.

It seems like they would draw those lines like, you know, a little bit easier. But maybe that's a discussion we can have another time. Another question. You were hard at work in the NHL playoffs, as were our Carolina Hurricanes, because they kept winning. You kept winning some wagers made with other congressmen that were representing teams from, I believe it was the New Jersey Devils. And who did we beat before that? The Islanders.

Yes, the Islanders. I knew when the Rangers as everybody settled up on their on their bats to remind us what was at stake. And you got some good eats or something for those first two rounds. Yeah. No, no. I wanted to get behind my canes.

And, you know, part of D.C., it's just nice to get to have some fun with your colleagues. So we bet some great whites won Eastern North Carolina vinegar based barbecue against my colleague Anthony Diaz-Bosino from Long Island. He wagered Long Island pizza.

He has not paid up yet, but he says he will. And then and then the next round, we beat the Devils and my colleague Rob Menendez. We bet New Jersey bagels with him was what he put up against our barbecue. And he delivered. And then I lost to Jared Moskowitz from Florida with the Panthers. And we we delivered up some great, you know, Eastern North Carolina barbecue to his office and had a lot of fun with him. I hope they choked on it. They were kind of annoying.

He was a little bit of a of a pest about. No, I'm kidding. I'm kidding.

Of course, I'll be joined. One of the cool things about White Swan growing up in this area, you know, they serve it at there's several like gas stations that sort of have a White Swan on the side. And I was always like at one point growing up, I was like, do they make all this barbecue at a gas station? Then you come to find out right there trying to think exactly where it's near. It's near the the country club of Johnson County. There's like a big White Swan. And that's where they do a bunch of the cooking.

And then they send it out to to the outpost. Wanted to ask you about something that isn't necessarily directly federal legislation, but here in North Carolina, it's been recent big talk. And I know you talk with people in your party and people who work at the state level and you yourself were a state senator at one point. North Carolina just passed a gambling law that will go into effect next year.

Do you have or do you get consulted on things like that? Is that a is federal gambling laws or those things that a question? And how do you feel about the law that North Carolina just passed recently to legalize gambling at the state level?

Yeah, no, no. I was a supporter of that bill when I was in the state Senate. We didn't quite get it over the finish line before I was elected to Congress.

But we did in this session. Governor Cooper signed it. And, you know, I mean, people have all sorts of opinions about this stuff, but people are going to be online gambling. And by by regulating North Carolina, we can get those tax dollars back to do things like, you know, put that money into, you know, our public universities.

Amateur sports, gambling, addiction, education and treatment. And, you know, we can, you know, make sure that we get those tax dollars. And this, you know, our constituents, our North Carolinians get get ripped off.

You know, they've got a recourse where they get their money back to. And if they're doing it with some shady overseas group, good luck with that. I 100 percent agree. I think gambling is something that's sort of like alcohol where I don't think it necessarily makes our society better to have it. But I think as a free society, you embrace these things and say, this is the thing that's being done. Let's figure out how to legislate it, make it as safe as possible, educate people. And then, like you said, make people or make sure people are being treated safely as they do it.

I think that's sort of a measure of how good society runs. So I I think there are things that are changed. There are things that will happen that people will point to and say, this is terrible. But as you said, a many of those things are already happening.

They'll just be highlighted in different ways. So just a general question for you. I know you're not new to politics. Like you said, you've been a state senator. You've worked for other politicians. But now this is your first run as a U.S. Congressman. What's been the most surprising thing to you in the first, what are we at, about six months now of your tenure serving representing the 13th District? Yeah.

Yeah. I mean, it's been an amazing first six months. You know, I think kind of two things. Number one, you know, you have some of these really outrageous personalities on the far left and right. And they're not like that in private. A lot of it is just for show.

That's been kind of a weird part of it. But the thing that I really kind of grab onto is how much of an amazing relationship I've had with the people that I served with. You have just some truly amazing people on the left, the right, love their country, do all they can to help their constituents. And, you know, when, you know, for most of the time, you know, it's a very, you know, very, very civil place where you've got people who really just focus on getting things done. What's your favorite lunch place in Washington, D.C.?

Mainly I just stay on the Hill, so we don't get off a lot. So people kind of bring us food. Good answer. Good answer.

To working too hard to take a lunch. I love it. I love it. What about back home at home? What's your favorite lunch spot around here? Well, you know, today I'm in Selma and we're doing a town hall. So we're, you know, I go in all throughout the district and, you know, do open events. Today, I, like I said, you know, I'm excited to go hit the White Swan for some barbecue when I'm in Smithfield later. Excellent. I mean, that's what we do so well is barbecue. And, you know, that's one of the best things that we've got out here.

Stick to the good stuff. We are heard across the state, but we originate from Raleigh. And, yeah, there are a bunch of new barbecue places that have popped up. I will let you go because I know you've got a town hall and other things to do. But before we do, I want you to play one quick game with us for the it's tied to the congressional baseball game. Now, don't get mad at your press person because you'll be like, I didn't tell me I was going to play a game. This is an all luck game.

There's no so there's no skill involved. It's just for fun. We're going to play a game called.

Is this an eighteen hundreds congressman from North Carolina or an eighteen hundreds baseball player? I'll give you a ridiculous name. You've got to guess which one it is. So, again, it's not a history.

It's just ridiculous names. You tell us what it is. Are we ready, Victoria? All right. Are you ready, Wiley? Let's do it.

All right. Chubb Collins is Chubb Collins and eighteen hundreds congressman from North Carolina or an eighteen hundreds baseball player. It's got to be a baseball player.

Of course it is. Everyone knows that Charles Augustus Chubb Collins was a Canadian professional baseball player. He also was a politician that later served as mayor of Dundas, Ontario, after playing for the Buffalo Bisons, Indianapolis Hoosiers and Detroit Wolverines. You're one for one. You're a genius.

All right. Next up. Marmaduke Williams is Marmaduke Williams and eighteen hundreds baseball player or eighteen hundreds congressman.

I mean, I want to say baseball, but I feel like I got to say congressman. He's smart. He's smart.

It would be mean to go back to back baseball players on the congressman. So he's correct. Marmaduke Williams is he was a Democratic Republican U.S. congressman from North Carolina from 1803 to 1809, born in Caswell County. He studied law and was admitted to the North Carolina bar, as were you. I believe you're also a member of the North Carolina bar, correct? Oh, yeah. All right. You're already a winner. Let's see if you can go three for three.

We've we've had one of each, so we won't have the advantage of being like, well, it's got it. It's got to be this one, right? This is one of my favorite names on there. Walter Freshwater Poole is Walter Freshwater Poole and eighteen hundreds baseball player. Eighteen hundreds congressman. It's definitely a congressman.

Three for this guy is smart. This is somebody you want working for you, North Carolina. Poole was born at Elm Grove near Elizabeth City, Pasquotank, North Carolina, in 1850. He was, of course, the nephew of John Poole, who was also a Republican U.S. senator from North Carolina. So he came from political family. But yes, I just love the name.

And that's not a nickname. It is Walter F. Poole, Walter Freshwater Poole, United States representative from North Carolina. Congratulations, Congressman Wiley Nickel.

You are a winner. We got great prizes in the terms of good vibes, but have a great town hall down there in Selma. Appreciate the hard work you and all your colleagues do for us.

And the U.S. health representatives work hard this year so you can go get them next year in the baseball game. And thanks for the time today on the Adam Gold Show. Anytime. Great talking to you.