[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 533 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 533

  Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the permanent integration of 
             professional football by 4 pioneering players.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 17, 2006

 Mr. Voinovich (for himself, Mr. DeWine, and Mr. Allen) submitted the 
        following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the permanent integration of 
             professional football by 4 pioneering players.

Whereas the integration of sports supported other ongoing efforts to permanently 
        end racial segregation as an accepted practice in the United States;
Whereas, in 1946, 4 African-American football players, William ``Bill'' K. 
        Willis and Marion Motley, who played for the Cleveland Browns, and Kenny 
        Washington and Woody Strode, who played for the Los Angeles Rams, all 
        signed contracts to play professional football;
Whereas, on August 7, 1946, Bill Willis was the first of this pioneering 
        foursome to sign a contract to play professional football for the 
        Cleveland Browns forever ending the race barrier in professional 
        football, 1 full year before Jackie Robinson broke the race barrier in 
        professional baseball;
Whereas, thanks to the significant contributions of Bill Willis and Marion 
        Motley, the Cleveland Browns won the National Football League (NFL) 
        Championship in 1950 which was the first year the Cleveland Browns 
        played in the NFL;
Whereas, in addition to permanently ending the race barrier in professional 
        football, Bill Willis and Marion Motley were recognized for their 
        outstanding professional football careers by their election to the Pro 
        Football Hall of Fame; and
Whereas 2006 marks the 60th anniversary of the permanent integration of 
        professional football, and the NFL will commemorate this milestone 
        during the 2006 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes the 60th anniversary of the permanent 
        integration of professional football; and
            (2) respectfully requests the Secretary of the Senate to 
        transmit for appropriate display an enrolled copy of this 
        resolution to--
                    (A) the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio; 
                and
                    (B) William K. Willis, the only surviving member of 
                the pioneering foursome who permanently ended the race 
                barrier in professional football.
                                 <all>