[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 53 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 53

Recognizing the life of Lamar Hunt and his outstanding contributions to 
 the Kansas City Chiefs, the National Football League, and the United 
                                States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 11, 2007

 Mr. Cleaver submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
            the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the life of Lamar Hunt and his outstanding contributions to 
 the Kansas City Chiefs, the National Football League, and the United 
                                States.

Whereas Lamar Hunt was born on August 2, 1932, in El Dorado, Arkansas;
Whereas Lamar Hunt graduated from Southern Methodist University with a Bachelor 
        of Science in Geology in 1956, and was a 3 year reserve end on the 
        varsity football team and was a distinguished alumni and avid supporter;
Whereas at the age of 27, Lamar Hunt created the American Football League and 
        founded the Dallas Texans, which were later renamed the Kansas City 
        Chiefs when Hunt relocated the team in 1963;
Whereas for 40 years Lamar Hunt owned and was a vital participant in the Kansas 
        City Chiefs Football Club and created the Championship Game between the 
        American Football League and the National Football League that became 
        known as the Super Bowl, a moniker Hunt coined;
Whereas under the leadership of Lamar Hunt, the Kansas City Chiefs won the 
        American Football League Championship game in 1962, 1966, and 1969, and 
        won the National Football League Super Bowl IV Championship in 1970;
Whereas Lamar Hunt, a man of unwavering and deep humility, played an important 
        role in the design, ongoing development, and direction of the modern-day 
        National Football League and served as the driving force behind the 
        merger of the American and National football leagues in 1970;
Whereas Lamar Hunt advocated for innovative and progressive changes to enhance 
        football in the National Football League, including the installation of 
        the 2-point conversion option for professional football, names on the 
        backs of the uniforms, that the trophy given to the winner of the Super 
        Bowl be named in honor of the late and revered Vince Lombardi, and an 
        additional Thanksgiving game be added to the National Football League 
        schedule;
Whereas Lamar Hunt's biggest influence on the professional football over the 
        years was his quiet, yet persuasive voice of reason;
Whereas Lamar Hunt's name is rightfully mentioned alongside other legends in 
        professional football history for his commitment to putting the 
        betterment of the professional football leagues ahead of any potential 
        individual gain, few individuals helped change the face of American 
        football for the better than this quiet Texan;
Whereas Lamar Hunt, as the founder of the American Football League, helped pave 
        the way for much of the modern growth of professional football;
Whereas possibly the greatest tribute to his contributions to the sport was the 
        naming by the American Football League of the Lamar Hunt Trophy, which 
        is presented annually to the champion of the American Football 
        Conference;
Whereas Lamar Hunt was also one of the founding investors in the 6-time World 
        Champion Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and was 
        the owner of 13 distinctive championship rings from 5 different 
        professional sports associations, including the American Football League 
        and National Football League, Major League Soccer, National Basketball 
        Association, North American Soccer League, and the United States Soccer 
        ``Open Cup'';
Whereas in total, Lamar Hunt was selected to 8 Halls of Fame, including the 
        United States Soccer Hall of Fame in 1982, the International Tennis Hall 
        of Fame in 1993, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1995, the Texas 
        Sports Hall of Fame in 1984, the Texas Business Hall of Fame 1997, and 
        the Kansas City Business Hall of Fame 2004;
Whereas Lamar Hunt was the first American Football League figure to be enshrined 
        into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1972;
Whereas in 1981 Lamar Hunt was inducted into the National Football League Alumni 
        Association's prestigious Order of the Leather Helmet and in February of 
        1993, and received the Francis J. ``Reds'' Bagnell Award from the 
        Maxwell Football Club of Philadelphia for continuing positive 
        contributions to the game;
Whereas in 1991 the 91-year-old U.S. Open Cup was renamed the ``Lamar Hunt U.S. 
        Open Cup.'';
Whereas that same year Lamar Hunt received the U.S. Soccer Federation Hall of 
        Fame Medal of Honor, joining former U.S. Soccer President Alan 
        Rothenberg as the only other individual to earn that prestigious 
        distinction;
Whereas in 2005 the U.S. Soccer Foundation honored Lamar Hunt with its Lifetime 
        Achievement Award;
Whereas Lamar Hunt brought smiles to millions of children who walked through the 
        gates of his twin theme parks in Kansas City, Worlds and Oceans of Fun;
Whereas in addition to his outstanding leadership of the Kansas City Chiefs, 
        Lamar Hunt served his community throughout his lifetime through 
        philanthropic endeavors and the donation of his time in both Kansas City 
        and Dallas;
Whereas 2 of the projects closest to Lamar Hunt included Southern Methodist 
        University, his alma mater where he served as co-chairman of the 
        university's campaign that raised $60,000,000 to build a new 32,000-seat 
        football stadium that opened in 2000 and to which he and his wife Norma 
        donated $5,000,000; and the Heart of a Champion Foundation, a nonprofit 
        foundation that he launched in 2001;
Whereas Lamar Hunt was also a supporter of the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas 
        City, and was a benefactor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas 
        Museum of Art, and a host of causes related to children's charities, 
        education, and fine arts; and
Whereas on December 13, 2006, Lamar Hunt succumbed to cancer at the Dallas 
        Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, Texas at the age of 74: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved,  That the House of Representatives, on this occasion less 
than one month after the death of Lamar Hunt--
            (1) expresses its deepest condolences to Lamar Hunt's wife 
        of 42 years, Norma, his 4 children, Lamar Jr., Sharon Munson, 
        Clark, and Daniel, and his 14 grandchildren; and
            (2) recognizes the outstanding contributions that Lamar 
        Hunt made to the Kansas City Chiefs, the National Football 
        League, and the United States.
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