[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 88 (Tuesday, July 11, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1211]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CONGRATULATING MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL YEAR 2000 ALL-STAR GAME

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                     HON. CARLOS A. ROMERO-BARCELO

                             of puerto rico

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 11, 2000

  Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to 
congratulate the participants in tonight's Major League Baseball All-
Star game. Each summer, the fans of our nation's pastime look forward 
to this game, which brings together the brightest stars of the sport. 
True to the American spirit, the starting line-ups for the game are 
selected by the millions of fans who follow the sport and take the time 
to choose the most deserving players to start at each position.
  I want to note with special pride that seven of the players 
participating in tonight's game are Puerto Ricans. These players are 
Roberto Alomar of the Cleveland Indians, Carlos Delgado of the Toronto 
Blue Jays, Edgar Martinez of the Seattle Mariners, Jorge Posada and 
Bernie Williams of the New York Yankees, Jose Vidro of the Montreal 
Expos, and Ivan Rodriguez of the Texas Rangers, who was the leading 
vote recipient in the All Star balloting. I know I speak for all the 
U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico in expressing our great pride in the 
accomplishments of these players. That our island of 3.8 million people 
could produce such a large proportion of the players on the All-Star 
teams shows how strongly Puerto Ricans have embraced our national 
pastime.
  In the spirit of the All Star game, I would be remiss if I did not 
take a moment to mention Roberto Clemente, the greatest of all the 
Puerto Rican All-Stars. Mr. Clemente is one of 20 legendary baseball 
players being honored in a new series of commemorative postage stamps, 
which were officially dedicated last week in conjunction with All Star 
Week.
  Mr. Clemente is known in baseball circles as the first Hispanic-
American selected to the Hall of Fame. But he will be remembered as 
much for his great humanitarian spirit as he is for his considerable 
baseball skills. Many of us will never forget that tragic day 28 years 
ago when Mr. Clemente lost his life in a plane accident while he was 
participating in a mission to aid victims of a devastating earthquake 
in Nicaragua.
  Mr. Clemente's legacy has influenced an entire generation of baseball 
players in Puerto Rico, just as future generations of players will be 
inspired by the All-Stars participating in tonight's game.
  Congratulations to all the players in the 2000 All-Star Game.

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