[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 29, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S1876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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          DEDICATION OF WILLIE MAYS PLAZA AT PACIFIC BELL PARK

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, it is a pleasure to alert my 
colleagues to the March 31 dedication of Willie Mays Plaza at the new 
Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco. This dedication is the first in a 
series of events leading to opening day on April 11, when the hometown 
Giants begin a new era against their old rivals the Los Angeles 
Dodgers.
  The opening of the new park is cause for great excitement among 
baseball fans in San Francisco, in California and throughout the 
country. Situated a short distance from downtown and directly on the 
Bay, Pacific Bell Park is both an architecturally stunning building and 
a state-of-the-art baseball facility. Notably, it is the first 
privately financed professional ballpark in the United States in 35 
years. And unlike the Giants former home at Candlestick Park, PacBell 
Park is for baseball only.
  Willie Mays Plaza is located at the main entrance to the park at 
Third and King Streets. In recognition of Willie Mays' number, the 
official address of the stadium is 24 Willie Mays Plaza. In addition, 
the plaza features 24 palm trees and a nine-foot bronze sculpture of 
the hall of famer. This handsome public space is a fitting tribute to a 
living legend.
  It is very appropriate that the Giants have chosen to honor Willie 
Mays in this way. Arguably the greatest all-around player to ever play 
the game, if Willie Mays is not synonymous with baseball, he is 
certainly synonymous with the Giants. He began his career with the team 
in 1951 and made the move to San Francisco with the club in 1957. All 
told he played 20 years in a Giants uniform. Over the course of his 
fabled career, he hit 660 homeruns, had 3,283 hits and 1,903 runs 
batted in. And if this were not enough, he scored 2,062 runs, stole 338 
bases, earned 12 consecutive Gold Gloves and had a career batting 
average of .302. A true student of the game, it is small wonder that 
Willie Mays remains a hero to countless fans the world over.
  After a brief stint with the New York Mets at the very end of his 
career, Willie Mays soon returned to the Giants. Since his retirement 
in 1972, he has never strayed far from the game or the organization. He 
is currently Special Assistant to Giant's President Peter Magowan. In 
this capacity, he is an ambassador for the team at all manner of civic 
and charitable events.
  On the field and off it, Willie Mays has always embodied dedication, 
teamwork and the pursuit of excellence. In naming this prominent part 
of Pacific Bell Park in his honor, the San Francisco Giants are 
assuring that the Say Hey Kid's example will grace this city, this team 
and its loyal fans for many years to come.

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