[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 23, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 23, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
     THE DEDICATION OF HARVEY FIELD IN TRIBUTE TO HARVEY SCHLENKER

                                 ______


                            HON. KEN CALVERT

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 23, 1994

  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, we hear a lot these days--in fact, too 
much--about people who excel in their professions, but fail miserably 
as human beings. We are disgusted by the greed and pettiness which seem 
to permeate professional sports and the entertainment industry. And, we 
are appalled by the poor example which so many athletes and other 
celebrities set for our youth.
  We live in an era when people seek gain without pain; an era when the 
worth of a person is too often based on the car he drives or the 
clothes he wears; an era in which our young people are sorely lacking 
in positive role models.
  Fortunately for all of us, there are still a few genuine heroes.
  They are not wealthy. They are not powerful. They are not part of the 
Jet Set.
  But, they all have something special. They have a keen sense of 
honor. They have guts. And, they have a quality which I can't describe 
in any other way except to say that they have heart.
  One such hero from my community of Riverside, CA, was Mr. Harold 
Schlenker.
  Until his death earlier this year at age 29, Mr. Schlenker suffered 
from a rare form of diabetes that led to problems with high cholesterol 
and poor blood circulation. In spite of his ailment, which eventually 
led to the amputation of both legs, Harold--also known as Harvey--was a 
true winner.
  Never complaining, Harvey spent much of his high school years in 
hospitals. Later, in spite of his disabilities, he vowed to coach, even 
if he had to lean on crutches or sit in a wheelchair. And coach, he 
did.
  For 6 years, Coach Schlenker was a mainstay of the Glen Avon Little 
League. He was an excellent coach, and led his girls' softball team to 
the 1990 championship. He inspired his team, not only by his love of 
baseball, but by the size of his heart.
  On March 28, 1994, the Jurupa Area Recreation and Park District will 
rename one of its baseball fields in Mr. Schlenker's honor. Henceforth, 
it will be called Harvey Field.
  Mr. Speaker, this generation desperately needs more heroes like 
Harvey Schlenker. I am proud that he coached in my district, and I hope 
that the thousands of young people who play on Harvey Field in the 
years ahead will strive to emulate the characteristics that made Harvey 
so unique. To his players, he was a magnet of friendship and a tower of 
strength. To all who knew him, he was a genuine American hero.

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