[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 157 (Wednesday, October 11, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H9795]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                THE CLEVELAND INDIANS--A TEAM OF DESTINY

  (Mr. HOKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.
  Mr. HOKE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentleman from 
Washington [Mr. Metcalf], from the great apple- and fish-producing 
State, for his friendly wager on the outcome of the American League 
Baseball Championship series between the mightly Cleveland Indians and 
a team from Washington. I am sorry that I was not here yesterday to 
accept his bet immediately, but consider it done.
  Mr. Speaker, I will wager an assortment of high-pressure hose 
fittings, high-quality roller bearings, and of course as much slab 
steel as the gentleman from Washington [Mr. Metcalf] thinks that he can 
use. Cleveland, after all, is a working man's city, and we make stuff, 
we do not pick it off trees or pull it out of rivers.
  However, since I am not sure how well industrial products are 
appreciated in the more agrarian regions of our great and vast country, 
I will also throw in a case of beer from our Great Lakes Brewing Co. 
and an assortment of Polish pierogies, German bratwurst, and Hungarian 
paprikash.
  I do not mean to predict an outcome or want to sound overconfident, 
but just for the sake of clarification, I think the gentleman from 
Washington should know that I like my apples green and my salmon 
smoked.
  The Indians are a team of destiny. No one knows more about overcoming 
adversity than the Cleveland Indians, except maybe House Republicans, 
and it is no coincidence that the last time the Indians won the pennant 
was the last time the Republicans controlled the House in sweeping 
proportions, just like the Indians will take the pennant this year.

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