[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 30 (Thursday, March 7, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S1634]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              COMMEMORATION OF NATIONAL SPORTSMANSHIP DAY

  Mr. PELL. Mr. President, it is with great pride that I bring to the 
attention of my colleagues National Sportsmanship Day which was 
celebrated on March 5, 1996. This event was celebrated in nearly 6,000 
schools in all 50 States and 61 countries.
  My pride stems from the fact that this celebration, which is 
recognized by the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, 
was established by the Institute for International Sport in 1991. The 
Institute, housed at the University of Rhode Island, has brought us the 
hugely successful World Scholar-Athlete Games, which will be held again 
in 1997, as well as the Rhode Island scholar-athlete games. Now in its 
sixth year, National Sportsmanship Day has grown not only into a 
national movement, but an international one as well.
  National Sportsmanship Day was conceived to create an awareness among 
the students of this country--from grade school to university level--of 
the importance of ethics, fair play, and sportsmanship in all facets of 
athletics as well as society as a whole. The need to periodically 
refocus our young people on sportsmanship and fair play is sadly 
evident on the playing field in these days of taunting, fighting, 
winning at all costs mentality, and the lure of huge sums of money for 
athletes hardly ready to cope with life's normal challenges.
  To commemorate National Sportsmanship Day, the Institute for 
International Sport sends to all participating schools packets of 
information with instructional materials on the themes surrounding the 
issue of sportsmanship. Throughout the country, students are involved 
in discussions, writing essays, creating art work, and in other 
creative ways engaging each other on the subject.
  Mr. President, as it has in past years, the President's Council on 
Physical Fitness and Sports has recognized National Sportsmanship Day. 
I ask unanimous consent that the letter signed by the council's 
cochairs Florence Griffith Joyner and former congressman Tom McMillen 
be inserted in the Record following my remarks. Mr. President, I would 
also commend and urge my colleagues to encourage students to focus on 
National Sportsmanship Day and the lessons contained therein.
  There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                        The President's Council on


                                  Physical Fitness and Sports,

                                        Washington DC, March 1996.
       The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports is 
     pleased to recognize March 5, 1996, as National Sportsmanship 
     Day. The valuable life skills and lessons that are learned by 
     youth and adults through participation in sports cannot be 
     overestimated.
       Participation in sports contributes to all aspects of our 
     lives, such as heightened awareness of the value of fair 
     play, ethics, integrity, honesty and sportsmanship, as well 
     as improving levels of physical fitness and health.
       The President's Council congratulates the Institute for 
     International Sport for its continued leadership in 
     organizing this important day. We wish you every success in 
     your efforts to broaden participation in and awareness of 
     National Sportsmanship Day.
     Florence Griffith Joyner,
       Cochair.
     Tom McMillen,
       Cochair.
  Mr. PELL. Mr. President, I yield the floor. I note the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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