[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 45 (Wednesday, April 16, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H1576-H1580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENTS OF JACKIE ROBINSON

  Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 61) honoring the lifetime 
achievements of Jackie Robinson.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 61

       Whereas Jackie Robinson was the first four sport letterman 
     at the University of California at Los Angeles;
       Whereas on April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson was the first 
     African-American to cross the color barrier and play for a 
     major league baseball team;
       Whereas Jackie Robinson, whose career began in the Negro 
     Leagues, went on to be named Rookie of the Year and 
     subsequently led the Brooklyn Dodgers to six National League 
     pennants and a World Series championship;
       Whereas Jackie Robinson's inspiring career earned him 
     recognition as the first African-American to win a batting 
     title, lead the league in stolen bases, play in an All-Star 
     game, win a Most Valuable Player award, play in the World 
     Series and be elected to baseball's Hall of Fame;
       Whereas after retiring from baseball Jackie Robinson was 
     active in the civil rights movement and founded the first 
     bank owned by African-Americans in New York City;
       Whereas his legacy continues to uplift the Nation through 
     the Jackie Robinson Foundation that has provided 425 
     scholarships to needy students;
       Whereas Jackie Robinson's courage, dignity, and example 
     taught the Nation that what matters most is not the color of 
     a man's skin but rather the content of his character;
       Whereas Jackie Robinson, in his career, consistently 
     demonstrated that how you play the game is more important 
     than the final score;
       Whereas Jackie Robinson's life and heritage help make the 
     American dream more accessible to all; and
       Whereas April 15, 1997, marks the 50th anniversary of 
     Jackie Robinson's entrance into major league baseball: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the achievements and contributions of 
     Jackie Robinson be honored and celebrated; that his 
     dedication and sacrifice be recognized; and that his 
     contributions to African-Americans and to the Nation be 
     remembered.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Horn] and the gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Maloney] 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California [Mr. Horn].
  Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I may yield my 
time to the gentleman from Oklahoma, [Mr. Watts], and that he be 
permitted to yield blocks of time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Oklahoma [Mr. Watts].
  Mr. WATTS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 
61. This resolution encourages all Americans to remember the 
achievements of Jackie Robinson at this important time in our country's 
history.
  There is something magical about the firsts in our society. I 
sometimes think God gave them broader shoulders to carry the tremendous 
load they have had to bear to make life better and provide greater 
opportunities for the rest of us.
  The list of firsts is long and should never be forgotten. The Rosa 
Parkses, the Frederick Douglasses, the Arthur Ashes, the Marian 
Andersons, the James Merediths, the Jesse Owenses and, in Oklahoma, 
Prentiss Gautt and Ada Louis Sipuels, and most recently in our Nation 
we know of Tiger Woods. These are all men and women who had the 
courage, heart and insight to be the first to create change in our 
society.
  Being the first can often be lonely, but these American heroes have 
had the strength to push ahead and find justice where injustice had 
prevailed.
  As a former professional athlete, I am thankful for the Jackie 
Robinsons and the firsts of this world. They have gone before and not 
only opened the door but they have left it wide open for people like 
me.
  April 15, 1947, was the first day that Jackie Robinson crossed the 
color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers. What made Jackie Robinson so 
memorable was that his list of achievements did not stop with that 
crashing of racial barriers. His accomplishments, including being named 
Rookie of the Year and leading the Dodgers to six National League 
pennants, including a World Series championship, matched his bravery.
  Jackie Robinson understood that he could lock arms with other blacks 
and fight racism and fight bigotry, but he also understood that success 
is determined by the individual effort, not by the group.
  Jackie was a true entrepreneur. His life did not stop with baseball. 
He went on to be active in the Civil Rights movement during the 1960's. 
He served in Governor Nelson Rockefeller's administration and started 
the first black-owned bank in New York City, as well as a construction 
firm.
  Last night the Nation celebrated this anniversary during the fifth 
inning of the Dodgers-Mets game. Mrs. Robinson graciously accepted the 
accolades and America paused to recognize number 42.
  Athletics is one of the few arenas today where we are judged on our 
merits. If an individual is good enough to play, they play. Jackie is 
an icon because of his integrity and character and what he proved by 
being the first and opening the door. He accomplished more for all 
people than he could have accomplished in Washington with more 
legislation.
  There is a lesson in the life of Jackie Robinson for all of us.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Jackie Robinson is a true American hero. Fifty years ago yesterday he 
stood up against racism, prejudice and hate and changed this country 
for the better. We applaud the strength that

[[Page H1577]]

he showed on the field and especially the courage he exerted off the 
field. He was a pillar of strength in the civil rights movement and we 
are fortunate that his legacy is continued today in the Jackie Robinson 
Foundation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from California, [Mr. Horn].
  Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time. It is a great day when Members in both parties can honor one of 
the really fine Americans of this century.
  Jackie Robinson did break barriers throughout his life: as a college 
student, a college player, and as a professional player. I am delighted 
to note in the city of Long Beach, which I am honored to represent and 
in which I live, a few years ago we established the Jackie Robinson 
Academy. It is located in the inner city. It is an academic achieving 
school. President Clinton has visited there, spent time with the 
students and the faculty in the school, and Mrs. Robinson was there on 
the dedication day, as were a few thousand others. And it was a great 
spirit that he would have been proud to see if he were still alive.
  It is that spirit and gentlemanliness, that compassion that he 
personifies, and that I think all who study his career hopefully will 
emulate.
  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Illinois, [Mr. Davis].
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman 
from New York for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with all of those who have come 
together in this resolution to honor the life, the legacy, and the 
contributions of a great American.
  I grew up during the Jackie Robinson era and I can tell my 
colleagues, as a young person there was nobody alive at that moment who 
had as much impact. As a matter of fact, Jackie Robinson was so 
important to us and to everybody that I knew that we could recite the 
Brooklyn Dodger lineup, beginning with the catcher to the right 
fielder.
  More important than that, Jackie Robinson demonstrated not only skill 
but courage and determination to help break down the barriers of 
racism, of prejudice, of assumptions that individuals could not all 
play on one field and make a score. If we can remember that, then I 
think we will score well not only for ourselves but for generations yet 
to come.
  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the 
gentleman from Kentucky, [Mr. Bunning.]
  (Mr. BUNNING asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. BUNNING. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House 
Concurrent Resolution 61. I did not get to pitch against Jackie 
Robinson very many times in his career, because it was just about over 
when I finally got to the big leagues. When I started out I was in the 
American League with Detroit and he was in the National League with 
Brooklyn, so the only time I really got to face him was in spring 
training games in 1954, 1955, and 1956.
  But in those days, Brooklyn was the team to beat. They had a real 
dynasty going. In fact, they made it to the World Series in 1952, 1953, 
and again in 1955 and 1956. And Jackie Robinson was one of the biggest 
reasons they were such an outstanding team.
  He was a real trail blazer and an outstanding ball player. A man of 
destiny. In the mid 1950's, when I finally made it to the major 
leagues, nearly 10 years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, 
there were not too many blacks in the American League, and that was 8 
years after Jackie Robinson played his first game for Brooklyn.
  I can tell my colleagues this: Under the best of circumstances, when 
an individual is starting out, it is pretty frightening to walk out to 
the pitcher's mound or to the batter's box in a big league game. That 
is even true when an individual's race is not an issue. So it is mind-
boggling to consider the kind of pressure that Jackie Robinson must 
have been under when he walked out there the first time when race was 
an issue, a very big issue.
  The fact that he tried, the fact that he dared, the fact that he made 
it is tremendous testimony to his courage, his self-confidence, and to 
his love of baseball. Jackie Robinson changed the face of baseball and, 
for that matter, all other sports, and he made a tremendous 
contribution to race relations in this Nation.
  Fifty years ago Jackie Robinson made a difference. It is right and 
fitting that we honor the memory of his achievements here today and his 
courage in doing the things that he did when he lived. My good wishes 
to Rachael and all his family today.
  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I may yield 
my time to the gentleman from Maryland, [Mr. Cummings], and that he be 
permitted to yield blocks of time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  It certainly is an honor to stand here today to salute a great hero. 
As I watched the President on television last night, and as I listen to 
my colleagues, and I am very grateful to all of them for every syllable 
that is spoken on behalf of Jackie Robinson, I stand, Mr. Speaker, and 
wonder what he would feel if he were standing here today.
  In Baltimore, where I hail from, we have a team that is doing pretty 
good right now. I look at that team and I ask myself, if it were not 
for a Jackie Robinson, how many African-American players would be there 
today?
  But going back to the question that I asked before, the question is 
how would he feel. I think that and I hope that as we celebrate this 
great man's life, and certainly we do not celebrate because he died but 
because he lived, I hope that we will keep a lot of things in mind, and 
I am sure if Jackie Robinson were here today he would agree with me.
  First of all, it is true that he did break the color barrier with 
regard to baseball. But as I read his history, it went far beyond that. 
He was a man who spoke eloquently about race relations. He stood up for 
what was right, no matter what the situation was. And that is very 
important in our society; that we ought to bring about positive change.
  I would submit that he was a great man of integrity. The great writer 
Stephen Carter, in his book ``Integrity'' says that integrity is based 
upon three things: No. 1, he says one must discern between what is 
right and wrong, what is good and bad. And Jackie Robinson surely did 
that.

                              {time}  1430

  He did it over and over and over again. He did not take a walk when 
it came time to stand up for what he believed in. He made a decision 
between right and wrong, and he stood on that. Even when people spat on 
him and people called him all kinds of names, names that I dare not say 
in this Chamber, the fact is that he stood for what he believed in.
  The great writer, Stephen Carter, goes on to say that there is a No. 
2 thing that we must do to have true integrity, and Jackie Robinson had 
it. That is that you must act upon what you believe in even to your own 
peril.
  So I say to America and to our country and to this great Congress 
that his example is one that we must live up to. That is, that we must 
look at a man called Jackie Robinson, who broke this color barrier 50 
years ago, who stood up over and over and over again for what he 
believed in, even to his own peril. I cannot even imagine what he must 
have felt going onto a field with people calling him everything but a 
child of God. I cannot imagine it. But yet and still, he performed 
quite nicely under all of those circumstances.
  Going back to the writer Stephen Carter, he says you must do one 
other thing. He says, No. 1, you must discern between right and wrong; 
No. 2, you must act, even to your own peril, on what is right; but then 
he says something else, that you must tell someone about it. The reason 
why he says you must tell someone about it is because of the fact that 
in order to change the world, in order to change the world, you have to 
tell people what you stood for and what you did with regard to that.
  And so it is that Jackie Robinson told the world. He told the world 
that no matter what, I shall stand up for what I believe in. He told 
the world

[[Page H1578]]

that I will play baseball even under difficult circumstances.
  But, Mr. Speaker, he had something else going for him, too. He had a 
vision. I am sure he had a vision that one day every team in the 
American League, every team in the National League would have African-
American players playing great baseball, African-American players 
sharing rooms with white players, African-American players doing 
everything that they could to stand up for what they believed in, just 
as Jackie Robinson did. And so it is with great honor that I stand here 
in support of House Concurrent Resolution 61.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I say to the gentleman from 
Maryland, that was very well said.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. 
Hayworth].
  Mr. HAYWORTH. I thank my colleague from Oklahoma for yielding me this 
time and my colleague from Maryland who preceded me with his comments.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution to honor the 
memory and the legacy of Jack Roosevelt Robinson. A couple of Arizonans 
offer a unique perspective on the life of Jackie Robinson. One is 
former Phoenix Mayor Sam Mardian, who grew up in the modest Pasadena 
neighborhood in close proximity to Jackie Robinson.
  In a recent column in the Arizona Republic, he spoke of Robinson's 
unique gift not only as a great athlete but as one who could reach 
across barriers, as one who could work to extol the virtues of 
teamwork. And even as we recognize that, we dare not, we cannot pause 
without reflecting on Robinson's incredible athletic gifts. A four-
sport letterman at UCLA. Indeed, baseball, ironically, was not his 
greatest sport. But in baseball it is where he began to make a 
difference for this land of ours.
  Another recollection comes from another man who now calls Phoenix 
home, former Dodger pitcher Joe Black, who joined the Brooklyn 
organization after Jackie broke the color line and who had the occasion 
to room with Mr. Robinson. Joe Black recalls that Jackie's first words 
to him were, ``You're a big man, Joe. I bet you're good in a fight, but 
we're not here to fight.''
  A personal recollection. My grandfather spent 50 years in major 
league baseball. He was honored to scout, alongside Branch Rickey, many 
of those who would come from the Negro leagues into major league 
baseball. And what Jack Robinson brought to the game was more than a 
great physical ability, it was an incredible ability to bring his 
intellectual capacities, the notion of strategy. Indeed, he helped to 
change the face of baseball. The strategy of using his speed to even 
steal home changed the face of baseball just as suredly as he broke the 
color line.
  Mr. Speaker, we rise today to honor the memory and legacy of Jackie 
Robinson, who described himself as an eternal optimist. He did so in 
one of the most difficult moments in our history. In the wake of the 
assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Jack Roosevelt Robinson 
said, I am an eternal optimist and I believe some good will come even 
of this tragedy.
  Jack Robinson was one who was a pioneer in many areas. He stood 
unafraid to speak the truth as he saw it, active in both major 
political parties, and it is that eloquence, that ability and, yes, 
that pioneer spirit that we honor today.
  Mr. Speaker, to his widow Rachel, to his family and most of all to 
the people of the United States of America, we go on record today proud 
to honor the legacy of Jack Roosevelt Robinson.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Arizona who just 
spoke for his comments. He said something that I would like to just 
piggyback on just a bit.
  So often out of difficult circumstances come great things. I think 
that when you look at what Jackie Robinson did and coming through the 
difficulty that he did come through, the fact is, is that he opened the 
doors for so, so many. I would venture to guess that the 39 members of 
the Black Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, owe a great debt of 
gratitude to this great man, for he did open many doors. But he did it 
through pain. I think that if we are to learn anything from this great 
man, we should learn that through pain, a lot of times come great 
things.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Shadegg].
  (Mr. SHADEGG asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. SHADEGG. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time, and I thank and compliment all of those involved in this great 
discussion this afternoon.
  Jackie Robinson played his first major league baseball game on April 
15, 1947. That was 7 years before the Supreme Court's historic decision 
in Brown versus Board of Education. It was 18 years before the voter 
registration drives in Selma, AL. It was 16 years before Martin Luther 
King's famous ``I have a dream'' speech. And it was 18 years before 
passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
  It was 1 year before President Truman ordered the integration of the 
United States Army and 21 years before Arthur Ashe would become the 
first black man to win the U.S. Open men's singles title. It was 16 
years before Michael Jordan was born and 50 years before Tiger Woods, 
to the pride of millions this weekend, became the first black man to 
win the Master's golf tournament.
  Jackie Robinson and baseball were at the forefront of America's race 
relations. As baseball went, I am proud to say, so too has gone the 
country, slowly improving race relations and moving toward equality for 
all Americans regardless of color. Children growing up in the late 
1940's and the early 1950's could look to Jackie Robinson and to his 
Dodger teammates and witness firsthand black and white working 
together, being part of a common team. And while there remained much 
progress to be made after Jackie Robinson integrated baseball and much 
progress still to be made today, a major step had been taken.
  When Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey showed the courage to 
challenge baseball and America, to reevaluate American racial policy, 
they helped start a movement that continues to this day. While much 
progress remains to be made in today's race relations, we have made 
great strides in the last 50 years, strides that would not have been 
possible but for heroes like Jackie Robinson and others similar.
  I join the gentleman and am pleased to support this resolution and am 
proud to be a part of this effort.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Philadelphia, PA [Mr. Fattah].
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland for 
yielding me this time, and I rise in support of our attempt to honor 
the life and legacy of this great African American.
  I am reminded, however, that as we come to honor Jackie Robinson, we 
should be clear what brought him to the opportunity to play major 
league baseball. It was in its own way an affirmative action program in 
which he was sought out, brought in to deal with the fact that African-
Americans had been excluded from the opportunity to play in major 
league baseball. If it were not for the active effort to include him, 
then we would not be here today honoring him, and as we honor him as a 
nation, we should think about the other doors that are sometimes locked 
to persons of color because, for whatever reason, people are unable to 
get past prejudices, to deny people access to law school and medical 
school, to colleges, college preparatory schools, to deny them access 
to contracts and employment opportunities.
  We know all too well that the racism that existed that prevented 
Jackie Robinson from being able to play and others who were even more 
qualified than him perhaps and were denied the opportunity to play in 
major league baseball at that time has not evaporated totally in this 
country over the last 50 years.
  So I come to the floor to join my voice to the voices of others, but 
I want to remind us that as we pay homage to Jackie Robinson and as we 
marvel at the ability of a Tiger Woods, we

[[Page H1579]]

should know that they represent the reality that Americans of every 
color and persuasion have gifts given to them by the Creator and are 
capable if they are given the opportunity. We should continue as a 
Congress to try to find ways to open those doors of opportunities so 
that these young people and people like them can continue to create a 
circumstance in which we can all be proud.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Maryland, and thank 
my colleagues from the other side of the aisle. I hope that as we vote 
to honor Jackie Robinson, we will not vote to close doors of 
opportunity to other young people, those same doors that we today rise 
to congratulate and recognize the accomplishments of this great 
African-American.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  As I close, Mr. Speaker, I just want to go back to something that the 
distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania just talked about. He talked 
about the fact that there had been doors closed over and over again to 
people of African-American descent. And there have been doors closed to 
many immigrants that have come to this country. As I sat there 
listening to what he had to say, I could not help but be reminded of my 
childhood as a young boy in south Baltimore, where we did not have many 
opportunities. We did not play on grass. We played on asphalt. I will 
never forget looking up to a Jackie Robinson and saying there is a man 
who looks like me, who looks like my father, there is a man who came 
from the same kind of neighborhood that I came from, there is a man who 
is doing it, and so I know that I can do it, too. That was very 
significant for me.
  I shall never forget standing and singing in class, in elementary 
school, ``My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I 
sing.'' And then I asked the question, but am I singing for a dream 
that can be fulfilled? Am I singing for a dream like a Jackie Robinson?
  Mr. Speaker, I would submit to the Members of this great Congress 
that it is people like Jackie Robinson that stood up for little boys 
and girls all over our country.

                              {time}  1445

  When they looked at Jackie Robinson, they said to themselves, ``He 
looks like me, he comes from my same kind of neighborhood, he stands up 
like my father, he looks like my father, and if he can do it, so can 
I.''
  And so it is that it is only fitting that on this 50th anniversary 
that we pause, and sometimes, Mr. Speaker, it is so important that we 
simply pause in our lives to take a moment to recognize great people, 
that we pause out of our busy schedules and say, wait a minute, time 
out; let us take a moment to realize and recognize what a great man 
did.
  So to Jackie Robinson, who is not here, but I do believe that he is 
here in spirit, wherever he is, Jackie Robinson I say to him, thank 
you, thank you for standing up, thank you for being an example, thank 
you for being someone that little boys and little girls could follow 
and who can say that you were a true role model. Thank you for being a 
role model. Thank you for not taking a walk and saying to our young 
people that I will not be a role model, that I am not a role model. You 
were a role model.
  So we say to him today, thank you, thank you for lifting us up, thank 
you for all of us who are now in our 40s, 50s, and 60s, thank you for 
being that example, thank you for bridging the gap. Thank you for 
building bridges so that we reach out to one another and say we too are 
America and so that when little children sing, my country 'tis of thee, 
sweet land of liberty, so that when they sing those wonderful songs 
about this patriotic world that we live in, this country that we live 
in, they can too stand there and say that I can too succeed, that I can 
too be powerful, that I can too make a difference.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Jackie Robinson said,

       Life is not a spectator sport. If you're going to spend 
     your whole life in the grandstands just watching what goes 
     on, in my opinion you're wasting your life.

  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Robinson did not waste his life. He inspired the 
lives of others. He carried the weight of the world on his shoulders on 
April 15, 1947, to make America better. He carried the weight of the 
world on his shoulders in order to raise the conscious level of the 
American people concerning injustices of our great Nation at the time, 
and because Jackie Robinson became better, not bitter, he challenged us 
all to be our best.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge unanimous support for this resolution.
  Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, today I join my colleagues in 
honoring a real American hero--a man who changed the face of baseball 
and inspired so many others to break down barriers. Fifty years ago 
this week, Jackie Robinson walked onto Ebbets Field, wearing his 
Brooklyn Dodgers uniform and before a crowd of 26,623 fans, became the 
first African-American to play major league baseball. For young people 
today, it's probably hard to imagine a time when the color of your skin 
could keep you from fulfilling your dream of playing professional ball. 
But for half a century, America's most beloved past time had been off 
limits to anyone who was not white.
  When Jackie Robinson took to the field that day, it marked a turning 
point in American history. As Jackie Robinson's wife, Rachel, later 
wrote: ``I think the single most important impact of Jack's presence 
was that it enabled white baseball fans to root for a black man, thus 
encouraging more whites to realize that all our destinies were 
inextricably linked.'' Jackie Robinson's major league debut was a 
triumph for a naturally gifted athlete who grew up in Pasadena, CA, and 
excelled in every sport he tried. He was an all-American in basketball 
and broke the long jump record. During his time at UCLA, he also became 
a star football player.
  When World War II broke out, Robinson joined the Army and was 
commissioned a second lieutenant. Despite his outstanding athletic 
ability and commissioned officer status, Robinson came face-to-face 
with the harsh reality of a segregated America. He was denied an 
opportunity to play on either the Army's football or baseball teams. 
When he personally challenged the so-called Jim Crow laws that 
prohibited Blacks from sitting in the front of a bus, Robinson faced a 
court martial. Although, he was found innocent, his Army career was 
soon over.
  After his military service, Jackie Robinson returned to his first 
love, baseball, joining the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American 
League. When the Dodgers' general manager Branch Rickey recruited him 
for the major leagues, Robinson was not the most famous or talented of 
the Negro league players. But Rickey saw in Jackie Robinson a man of 
great courage and conviction, someone who could stand up to adversity 
and turn the other cheek to those who were out to destroy his career 
and the dreams of all African-Americans.
  Over and over again Robinson was put to the test. He faced the boos, 
the racial slurs, and even death threats from many fans. Even the other 
players were far from supportive. Some of Jackie's own teammates 
threatened to strike. And, once on the field, players dug their spikes 
into him as they slid into base. Pitchers baited him by throwing balls 
directly at his head. Jackie Robinson responded saying, ``I'm not 
concerned with you liking me or disliking me. All I ask is that you 
respect me as a human being.''
  Jackie Robinson had to put up with other indignities as well. He 
couldn't stay in the same hotels as his teammates or join them for a 
meal at many restaurants. In some cities, he had to drink from colored 
only water fountains and catch a ride in colored only cabs. Throughout 
it all, Jackie Robinson resisted the temptation to strike back. He let 
his actions on the field speak for themselves. By the end of his first 
season, his power hitting and aggressive base running earned him the 
Rookie of the Year honor as he led the Dodgers' to the National League 
Pennant.
  Jackie Robinson went on to be the spark that ignited the great Dodger 
teams of the 1950's. He batted .300 or better 6 years in a row and led 
the National League in stolen bases during two seasons. He was the 
National League's Most Valuable Player in 1949 with a batting average 
of .342. And then, in 1962, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of 
Fame. Years later, in 1987, the National League Rookie of the Year 
Award was renamed in his honor.
  Mr. Speaker, Jackie Robinson was a great ball player, but as we 
celebrate his achievements on the field, we must also remember the 
contributions he made to the American way of life. Jackie Robinson put 
his own fears aside, stood up to bigotry and hatred, and he triumphed. 
His remarkable achievement has been a rallying cry to confront all 
forms of prejudice. Jackie Robinson's legacy is still visible today in 
the faces of the young boys and girls of all different colors who dream 
of becoming a professional athlete or of achieving, in some other way, 
their own special place in history.

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  In the words of Jackie Robinson ``a life is not important except in 
the impact it has on other lives.'' Jackie Robinson's life can serve as 
an inspiration to all of us, both young and old, that through hard work 
and determination we can overcome any obstacles and break down what 
appear to be insurmountable barriers.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, on this 50th anniversary of 
Jackie Robinson's major league debut, I am proud to say that I am and 
always have been a fan of Jackie Robinson. Not just for his athletic 
prowess, but for what I believe is his greatest achievement: his 
ability to keep his eye on the goal of playing baseball and doing his 
best in the face of the catcalls, the hissing, and the jeers.
  With all the societal pressures placed on him, Jackie Robinson 
breathed life to the idea of community and equality; and proved to his 
contemporaries that the only color that mattered to him was Dodger 
blue. But more importantly, he made sure he was judged not by the petty 
mans' standard of skin color, but by the higher standard of merit, 
performance, ability, tenacity, and perseverance.
  No doubt, Jackie Robinson had tough times and dreary days throughout 
his career. His gift to baseball and, indeed, to America, was his 
sensibility to see past the setbacks, the biases, the bigotry, and the 
prejudices directed at him and focus on the enormous task of playing 
baseball, well, and proving that shades of skin color do not make the 
player or the man.
  In high school, I was on the track and field team, and now, as many 
of my colleagues know, I play annually on the Republican baseball team. 
I cherish those times on the field. It's hard to imagine that, before 
Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, so many were excluded from the 
opportunities and rewards that playing organized and professional 
sports provide us. Some of life's greatest skills--teamwork, stick-to-
itiveness, determination, diligence and comradery--are learned and 
reinforced on the ball field, and to have excluded an entire race from 
our national pastime is unconscionable.
  I have four children, Mr. Speaker, who, like myself, have a passion 
for sports. Every sport my children participate in, from baseball--that 
would be my son, Chris--to lacrosse--my daughter Melissa--to soccer--my 
son Mike and my youngest daughter, Elyse, is a lesson in unity and 
selflessness. And no one lived that lesson better than Jackie Robinson. 
With two out and one on in scoring position, and your teammate coming 
to the plate for the possible game winning RBI, you stand and root him 
on. And your teammate isn't Jackie, the African-American kid, he is 
Jackie, your friend, and the best darn player on the team.
  Each time my children step on to a field with their teammates and I 
see the matching colors of their jerseys worn by a vibrant mix of 
ethnicity and race, I know that we are getting closer to an equal and 
unified society. I thank Jackie Robinson for breaking the color barrier 
and laying the foundation. Yet, I know Jackie Robinson would be 
disappointed in all of us if we didn't finish what he so courageously 
began. By remembering and honoring him today we rededicate ourselves 
and our nation to equality and liberty and justice for all.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, last night I had the honor of attending the 
ceremony at Shea Stadium marking the 50th anniversary of Jackie 
Robinson's first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
  Not only was Jackie Robinson a great athlete, he was a man of amazing 
courage and grace who served as a powerful role model to so many of us 
growing up in that era.
  I recall vividly when I was a young boy the excitement among my 
friends as we followed the career of Jackie Robinson. In fact, in 1946, 
when he was still with the International League, he played in Jersey 
City, which is now in my congressional district, before a wildly 
enthusiastic crowd of 26,000 cheering fans.
  He led the Dodgers to six National League pennants and a World Series 
championship in 1955. Over the course of his major league career, he 
was named to six all-star teams. He distinguished himself by winning a 
batting title, leading the league in stolen bases, and winning a Most 
Valuable Player Award.
  I had the opportunity to see Jackie Robinson play the year he broke 
the color barrier, 1947. For African-Americans, his accomplishments 
were a source of great pride and hope for the future.
  Last night many of those who knew Jackie Robinson best, his former 
teammates and colleagues, testified to his strength and perseverance 
under enormous day to day pressure. Sadly, that strain took a personal 
toll which undoubtedly led to his medical problems and premature death.
  I recall that in 1972, the year which marked the 25th anniversary of 
his debut in the major leagues, a special tribute was, at long last, 
given in his honor. At that ceremony, he looked beyond the accolades 
given to him personally, and spoke out in behalf of future 
opportunities for other African-Americans. He said that our mission 
would not be complete until an African-American was given the 
opportunity to become a manager, a privilege which he was never offered 
despite his obvious talent and ability. He put his sentiments in these 
words: ``I will be even more pleased when I can look at the third-base 
coaching box and see a black manager. I'd like to live to see a black 
manager.''
  Jackie Robinson never got his wish. He died 9 days later.
  As President Clinton noted last night, our Nation can best honor 
Jackie Robinson's legacy by striving to become a society where we all 
work together in a spirit of harmony and a shared vision for the 
future.
  Mr. Speaker, as we remember the remarkable legacy of Jackie Robinson, 
let us also resolve to honor the lessons he so eloquently taught us.
  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Horn] that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, House Concurrent Resolution 61.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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