[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 86 (Thursday, June 19, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H3930]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     WHEN IN DOUBT, TELL THE TRUTH

  (Mr. GUTKNECHT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a high school 
senior in my district in Minnesota for simply telling the truth, even 
when it hurt.
  Recently the Elgin-Millville Watchmen provided the Dover-Eyota Eagles 
in a sectional tournament baseball game. In the fifth inning, Watchmen 
left fielder Jason Livingston missed a fly ball and saw it barely clear 
the fence for a home run. The umpire, however, ruled the hit a ground-
rule double, thinking it had bounced over the fence.
  Jason was the only one in position to know exactly what had happened. 
Without hesitating, he indicated to the umpire that the ball had 
cleared the fence for a home run. The umpire reversed his call, the 
Watchmen ended up losing the game, and Jason's baseball career ended 
that afternoon.
  Mark Twain once said, ``When in doubt, tell the truth.'' Well, Jason 
Livingston never had a doubt. He said it was no big deal, he just did 
what was right. A week after the game, Jason graduated from high school 
without a baseball trophy. But some things are just more important.

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