[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 98 (Thursday, June 15, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8517-S8518]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                       TRIBUTE TO LINDSEY NELSON

  Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. President, Lindsey Nelson, Tennessean, died this 
week. He left behind a rich national heritage in broadcasting matched 
by very few in our history. During his life he was voted by his peers 
into the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown; the Broadcasters' Hall 
of Fame; and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH.
  He richly deserved this recognition for his remarkable achievements 
in sports broadcasting.
  After working in administration at NBC in New York City for a number 
of years, Mr. Nelson took to the airwaves and started his career in 
broadcasting. [[Page S8518]] 
  In 1962, he became the announcer for the just-formed New York Mets, 
where he remained for 17 years. Working with Ralph Kiner and Bob 
Murphy, he broadcast the Miracle Mets' World Series season of 1969.
  Later he became the voice of the San Francisco Giants. He also 
broadcast Notre Dame football during his distinguished career, along 
with many of our Nation's great sporting events, including the Masters 
Golf Tournament and the Cotton Bowl.
  But, as distinguished as Lindsey Nelson's career was at the national 
level, he was first and foremost a son of Tennessee. He graduated from 
the University of Tennessee in 1941. While in UT he tutored English to 
football players, and planned to go into sports writing.
  However, the Second World War intervened, and Mr. Nelson joined the 
Army and saw battle duty in Italy, Germany, and France. He won seven 
battle campaign stars and a Bronze Star.
  After the war he did the play-by-play for the University of Tennessee 
football team. In 1949 he founded the Vol Network, and became the 
university's sports information director in 1951. He also did 
announcing for the school's basketball games and the Knoxville Smokies 
baseball team.
  The university's baseball stadium, one of the finest in the Nation, 
was named after Lindsey Nelson.
  For a number of years Mr. Nelson wrote a column for The Knoxville 
News-Sentinel.
  Lindsey Nelson loved Tennessee. He loved its State university in 
Knoxville. Wherever he served in his long and productive life, he was 
never far from his beloved State and school.
  Tennessee lost one of its most favored and distinguished sons with 
the passing of Lindsey Nelson. As his old friend Ben Byrd, former 
sports editor of The Knoxville Journal, said on hearing of Mr. Nelson's 
death: ``A lot of people knew him, and without exception they all loved 
him. He was just something special.''
  I join all of Lindsey Nelson's many friends in Tennessee and around 
the world in mourning his passing.


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