[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 28 (Tuesday, March 5, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H1698-H1699]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     NAMING OF THE HONORABLE JIM BUNNING TO BASEBALL'S HALL OF FAME

  (Mr. HYDE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I have a very special announcement to make. 
One of our colleagues, the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Bunning], was 
just named to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
  Mr. Speaker, I am sure that my colleagues all know that the gentleman 
from Kentucky [Mr. Bunning] is the only major league pitcher ever to 
pitch a no-hit game in both the National League and the American League 
and that his selection to the Hall of Fame was not by baseball writers, 
but by the veterans themselves, which makes it, it seems to me, a 
little loftier in stature.

                              {time}  1530

  Mr. Speaker, I might trespass upon my friendship with the gentleman 
from Kentucky [Mr. Bunning] to tell the Members a true story. I think I 
have the year right. 1958. Maybe it was 1968, but I am going to say 
1958. The gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Bunning] was pitching for the 
Detroit Tigers against the New York Yankees. The New York Yankees had a 
first base coach named Bob Turley, a former pitcher who was very 
skilled at stealing signs. Every time Jim would throw a fastball, 
Turley would whistle, and the batters knew what the pitch was.
  Now, the first batter up was Bobby Richardson, and Jim got him out. 
The second batter up was Tony Kubek, the shortstop. Jim got him out. 
The third batter stepped in, Mickey Mantle, and Jim walked over to the 
first base coach, Turley, and he said, ``If you whistle, I am going to 
hit him right in the back with a pitch.'' Jim took the mound. He got 
his sign and he was at the top of his windup when Turley whistled. Jim 
decided to cross everybody up. He threw a slider. It got away from him, 
and hit Mantle right in the back. Mantle headed toward the mound with 
his bat, but decided better of it, and trotted down to first base.
  The next batter was Yogi Berra. Yogi stepped in, pounded the plate, 
looked at Jim Bunning and said, ``Hey, Jim, if Turley whistles, I ain't 
listening.''
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. HYDE. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, it is hard to top what our good 
friend, the gentleman from Illinois, has said about the wonderful 
gentleman from Kentucky, Jim Bunning. But I know that our friends in 
Philadelphia, like the gentlemen from Pennsylvania, Curt Weldon and Jim 
Greenwood, and many others, Bob Borski, Tom Foglietta, all the other 
Members, know that the gentleman from Kentucky, Jim Bunning, is a hero 
not only on the field of baseball, but Jim Bunning has been a hero as a 
congressional leader and as someone who has held the great family 
principles of life, someone who is fair dealing, someone who cares 
about others, and someone who, in his lifetime, has really made a 
difference.
  Mr. Speaker, I would ask my colleagues to stand and rise to this 
great American hero, the gentleman from Kentucky, Jim Bunning.
  Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker if I might yield very briefly to the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania, Curt Weldon, who formerly was the Congressman of Jim 
Bunning.
  Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for 
yielding to me.
  Let me just say, Mr. Speaker, that there is no one that the members 
of the Pennsylvania delegation would fear more in coming back to our 
State and running for elective office than Jim Bunning, because he is 
adored by all of our constituents, whether they be in the district of 
the gentlemen from Pennsylvania, Tom Foglietta, Chaka Fattah, or Bob 
Borski's district, or whether they be over in the district of the 
gentleman from New Jersey, Rob Andrews, or the district of the 
gentleman from Delaware, Mike Castle, or in our suburban districts 
around Philadelphia.
  Jim is adored because the gentleman from Kentucky, years ago, and I 
will not say how long ago, was my boyhood idle when I was a Phillies 
fan growing up in the suburbs. I have told him that many times. But Jim 
Bunning, years ago, represented the same ideals that Cal Ripken stands 
for today.
  Mr. Speaker, while we acknowledge Jim Bunning's leadership as a 
professional baseball player, let us also acknowledge his stature as a 
human being and as a father and as a husband and a man. As the proud 
parent of nine children, and who knows how many grandchildren, Jim 
Bunning really epitomizes what is right with this country. I am proud 
to call him not just a colleague, but someone that all of us can look 
up to in this country as a true role model for America.
  Congratulations, Jim. The people of Philadelphia are real proud to 
call you their own.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. HYDE. I yield to the gentleman from New York.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. I thank my colleague for yielding to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to tell my colleagues, as the 
Congressperson who was privileged to represent Cooperstown, NY, I would 
like to welcome the gentleman from Kentucky, Jim Bunning, to my 
constituency. I would like to point out to my colleagues that his 
election came from his peers, people like Ted Williams and Stan Musial 
and Yogi Berra and Pee Wee Reese and Bill White. The greats of baseball 
recognized another great.
  For those of you who have dreams of coming to Cooperstown, NY, I 
would like to welcome you all to come up to that magnificent community 
to see the induction of the gentleman from Kentucky, Jim Bunning, this 
year.
  Mr. FOGLIETTA. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. HYDE. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania for a brief 
comment.
  Mr. FOGLIETTA. I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.
  Mr. Speaker, not only is this an honor for Pennsylvania and for the 
city of Philadelphia, but the fact is that the gentleman from Kentucky, 
Jim Bunning, achieved his greatness in the First Congressional District 
of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, that I now represent. Jim, it is a 
good, solid Democratic district.
  The heritage in south Philadelphia was from Joe DiMaggio, and most of 
the kids in south Philadelphia were Yankee rooters, so we were thrilled 
when Jim finally came to Philadelphia with the Phillies, rather than 
with the A's, so he would not have to pitch against the Yankees 
anymore. But when he came to Philadelphia, all Philadelphia became fans 
of Jim Bunning's.
  Only last week in the article, letters to the editor, young people 
were writing praising the exploits of Jim Bunning, and urging those who 
were going to vote to elect him to the Baseball Hall of Fame. I am so 
happy that they did. We admire you, Jim. You are a great, great, great 
Philadelphian.
  Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I wonder if I might yield to the gentleman 
from Kentucky [Mr. Bunning] for a few comments.
  Mr. BUNNING of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman 
from Illinois [Mr. Hyde].
  Mr. Speaker, it is hard to speak after 25 years. I have been retired 
from baseball for 25 years. None of the numbers that were on the back 
of my card have changed in that time. They are all the same numbers 
that I retired with, so it has been a long waiting process. Thank God 
it happened while I was still on my feet. Sometimes it happens 
posthumously, and I really deeply appreciate the veterans committee. As 
the gentleman from Illinois, Henry Hyde, said, ``Those are some of your 
peers that voted you in.''
  Particularly I talked with Yogi Berra, who was on the committee, and 
I talked with Peewee Reese, who was on the committee. I talked to Bill 
White, one of my teammates from Philadelphia, after the vote was taken 
today. So it is deeply appreciated. I would be remiss if I did not 
mention Alan Lewis, who happened to be a writer, a beat writer in 
Philadelphia, when

[[Page H1699]]

I was playing. It was through his efforts that this happened, nobody 
else's. Thank you very much.
  Mr. HYDE. It was through your efforts, Jim, not anybody else's.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. HYDE. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, Michigan would be remiss if it did not add 
its words of congratulations. I have the privilege of sitting on the 
Committee on Ways and Means with the gentleman from Kentucky, Jim 
Bunning. I just want to say to you, to Jim, he is still throwing 
strikes, and now and then a curve ball. I am sometimes the recipient, 
and all I can say is I am glad I am receiving them in the Committee on 
Ways and Means, rather than on a baseball team.
  Jim was a terrific person and a terrific pitcher for the Tigers, and 
brought moments of great glory to our State of Michigan. Jim, if I 
might speak on behalf of a lot of people, I think, from the State of 
Michigan to congratulate you on an award long in coming and more than 
richly deserved: Congratulations.
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. HYDE. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I had the honor to have the gentleman from 
Kentucky, Jim Bunning, in my congressional district. I represented Ted 
Williams. Ted Williams being a constituent of mine, he wanted to meet 
with Jim Bunning, so the two of them met in my congressional district 
at a dinner, and we had a wonderful time. I would point out to my 
colleagues here that Jim Bunning struck out the greatest hitter of all 
time, Ted Williams, three times in one afternoon. He has that kind of 
staying power and that kind of pitching power.
  But one thing that Ted Williams did say to me confidentially is that 
``Jim Bunning should be in the Hall of Fame, and God willing, Jim 
Bunning some day will be in the Hall of Fame,'' so I think Ted Williams 
was forecasting what has occurred. I congratulate him, and I think, on 
behalf of Ted Williams and others, we wish Jim Bunning the best. We are 
glad that he was finally recognized.

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