IV 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 918 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 18, 2009 Mr. Sestak (for himself, Mr. Dent, Mr. Gerlach, and Mr. Doyle) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform RESOLUTION Recognizing the 60th Anniversary of Chuck Bednarik’s debut in the National Football League and the contributions of all Slovak-Americans.

Whereas there are approximately 1.9 million Americans of Slovak descent; Whereas Chuck Bednarik’s home state of Pennsylvania is home to over 245,000 persons of Slovak descent and the Greater Pittsburgh region has more individuals of Slovak heritage than any city in the world outside of Slovakia; Whereas the 2009–2010 season marks the 60th Anniversary of Chuck Bednarik’s debut in the National Football League; Whereas Chuck Bednarik is one of the greatest Slovak-American athletes and greatest football players of all-time, winning the distinguished Maxwell Award as the nation’s best college football player in 1948, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967; Whereas Chuck Bednarik was the son of Slovak immigrants who settled in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and worked at Bethlehem Steel; Whereas Chuck Bednarik served his country bravely as a B–24 Waist Gunner in the United States Army Air Force during World War II; Whereas Chuck Bednarik flew more than 30 combat missions as a member of the Eighth Air Force; Whereas Chuck Bednarik attended the University of Pennsylvania on the G.I. Bill and was a 3-time All-American; Whereas Chuck Bednarik played a distinguished 14-year career in the National Football League as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, earning him the nickname “Concrete Charlie”, and was the last great “60-minute Man” in the National Football League, playing on both offense and defense; Whereas Chuck Bednarik led the Philadelphia Eagles to 2 National Football League Championships, making a game-saving tackle to secure victory in the 1960 NFL Championship Game; Whereas Chuck Bednarik was selected to 8 Pro Bowls and was 10 times a National Football League All-Pro selection; and Whereas the Slovak-American community has contributed greatly to this Nation, with other notable Americans of Slovak descent including Tom Ridge (former Governor of Pennsylvania and this country’s first Secretary of Homeland Security), John D. Hertz (businessman and philanthropist), Andy Warhol (artist), Stefan Banic (inventor of the parachute), Jozef Murgas (inventor of the radio), Paul Newman (actor and philanthropist), Michael Strank (one of those who raised the American flag over Iwo Jima), and Peter Lorre (actor): Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives recognizes the 60th Anniversary of Chuck Bednarik’s debut in the National Football league and the contributions of all Slovak-Americans.