[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 134 (Wednesday, October 6, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S12114]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                     TRIBUTE TO THE ATLANTA BRAVES

 Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
Atlanta Braves baseball team for winning their eighth consecutive 
divisional championship and, once again, finishing the season with the 
best record in Major League Baseball. While their record may suggest 
that this championship was won with a great deal of ease, this could 
not be further from the truth. Before the season began, the Braves and 
baseball as a whole were shaken by the news that Andreas Galarraga, the 
All-Star first baseman of the Braves, had been diagnosed with non-
hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of cancer. Although Galarraga had to sit own 
the entire 1999 season, he has now fully recovered and everyone is 
eagerly awaiting his return to the field next year.
  Despite the loss of Galarraga and several other individuals who had 
been an integral part of the previous championship teams, the Atlanta 
Braves never gave up. Through this difficult time, the Braves played to 
the best of their ability and exceeded everyone's expectations. This 
season the Braves won more games than any other team in baseball which 
is why, including the worst to first season of 1991, this season may 
have been the most meaningful of all their recent successes.
  In this year when each major league team individually celebrated Hank 
Aaron Day--a day devoted to the memory of baseball's all time homerun 
leader breaking Babe Ruth's staggering record of 714 homers--the 
Atlanta Braves once again rose to the top. Their national following 
combined with their hard work and perseverance have given the Braves 
the moniker of ``America's Team,'' an honor well suited for these 
champions.

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