[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 24, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H758-H759]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO WILMER ``VINEGAR BEND'' MIZELLE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Burr) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BURR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
life and memory of a former Member of this body and one of my 
predecessors from the Fifth District of North Carolina, the Honorable 
Wilmer ``Vinegar Bend'' Mizelle.
  Born in 1930 in the town from which he received his famous nickname, 
Vinegar Bend, Alabama, Wilmer Mizelle

[[Page H759]]

lived a full and rich life before his sudden death this past Sunday, 
February 21, 1999.
  He grew up in rural America, but like most boys of his day, he had a 
greater dream. It was to be a professional baseball player. He had the 
talent to make his dream a reality and, as a young man, soon found 
himself assigned to the minor leagues and a team in my hometown of 
Winston Salem, North Carolina.
  Vinegar Bend was a pitcher, a southpaw, and you can still today find 
fans who remember the strength he possessed as he held the mound at 
Ernie Shore Field.
  It was during this time that he met Nancy McAlpine who would later 
become his wife.
  Vinegar Bend broke into the big leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals 
in 1952. Standing at over 6 feet tall, he was an imposing figure as a 
hard-throwing left-hander when he hurled that ball towards home plate.
  In 1960, Vinegar Bend was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates and went 
13 and 5 that year as part of a strong starting rotation. It was in 
1960 that he pitched in the World Series winning a game as the 
Pittsburgh Pirates became the world champions.
  In 1962, he was traded to the Mets in their first game, which turned 
out to be his last year as a ball player. Vinegar Bend had 90 wins in 
his career, including 15 shutouts, and an E.R.A. of 3.85 lifetime.
  After retiring from baseball, Wilmer and Nancy returned to North 
Carolina and he took up a new career, that of public service, where he 
has served as a commissioner and then as a Member of Congress from 
North Carolina's Fifth District.
  Wilmer Mizelle worked as hard in Congress as he did on the baseball 
field. That is known by his colleagues and by his constituents. He 
always explained that he saw himself as an advocate for farmers and 
factory workers and consumers who populated his district.
  Vinegar Bend served three terms in this House from 1969 to 1975 and 
then was appointed Assistant Secretary of Commerce by President Gerald 
Ford. He returned to North Carolina in 1976 only to be called back by 
President Reagan to serve as Assistant Secretary of Agriculture and 
then as a member of President Bush's President's Council on Physical 
Fitness and Health.
  Wilmer then retired from government service, but he never slowed 
down. I can recall that Vinegar Bend returned to be with us in 1995 in 
this House in the majority to help give us some advice on our 
Republican baseball team. He never lost his love for sports.
  After the death of his wife Nancy, Wilmer married Ruth Cox, and 
together they divided their time between their homes in Alexandria, in 
North Carolina, and in Texas. They spent a great deal of time working 
in Texas with the Christian Missionary Alliance Church.
  Back home in my district, Wilmer Mizelle's reputation was as imposing 
as his physical stature. He was known as an honest, dedicated 
representative of the people. He filled his speeches with humor and 
home spun stories, and he only had to speak a few words before they 
knew he was from the south.

                              {time}  1445

  Wilmer Mizelle's life calls to memory the words of Woodrow Wilson, 
who said, ``There's no cause half so sacred as the cause of people. 
There is no idea so uplifting as the idea of service of humanity.''
  Clearly, Wilmer Mizelle proved Leo Durocher wrong when he said, 
``Nice guys finish last.'' As a matter of fact, Wilmer Mizelle won 
before the game ever started.
  He is survived by his wife Ruth and sons Danny and David and by four 
grandchildren. On behalf of the United States Congress and the State of 
North Carolina, I extend our sympathy to them for this great loss, the 
life of Vinegar Bend Mizelle.

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