[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 103 (Thursday, September 7, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H7347]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING BELLAIRE LITTLE LEAGUE ALL-STARS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bentsen) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Bellaire Texas 
Little League All-Stars for winning the United States Championship and 
advancing to the title game of the 54th Little League World Series. 
Along the way, the team inspired not only our community of the 25th 
District of Texas, but the entire Nation.
  More than 7,000 teams from 104 countries vied to attain that coveted 
position, but it was the determination and the heart of the boys from 
Bellaire that put the team above the rest.
  Throughout their summer of success, the team displayed the qualities 
of good sportsmanship and perseverance that made their parents, the 
city, and my constituents in the 25th District of Texas extremely 
proud. Their journey touched us all.
  When the group of 12-year-olds came together in late June as the best 
players in the Little League, something magical happened. They won 
district for the first time and the team took sectionals in Galveston. 
The Bellaire Little League then won the State tournament in Waco and 
captured the United States South Region championship in St. Petersburg, 
Florida.
  Bellaire then went undefeated at the regionals and earned a spot in 
the Little League World Series. There were many breathtaking plays 
along the way, a game-winning homer for Alex Atherton against Lamar and 
a no-hitter from Ross Haggard to beat Barboursville, West Virginia. 
They played on national television a total of nine times as they 
advanced, and all of Houston found themselves glued to the TV set.
  The ride lasted until the 3-2 loss to Venezuela in the championship 
game, a defeat that was hard fought and handled with the honor that 
hometown fans learned to expect from the youthful team.
  Bellaire is well known for its baseball, but always on the high 
school level, not Little League. The Bellaire Cardinals have won seven 
State high school championships and a national title in 1999.
  Before the young Bellaire team burst onto the scene this year, the 
Little League team, from among the smallest Little League organizations 
in the State, had never even won the district before. I commend the 
coaches who were instrumental in bringing the team together more than 2 
years ago when many of the players were 9-year-olds: Coaches Mike 
Purcell, Cliff Atherton, Steve Malone, and Larry Johnson.
  It was Manager Terry McConn who took the tournament team to the 
championship. Manager McConn has made lasting contributions to these 
kids by guiding and inspiring such winning performances in his players. 
All of the adults and parents who sacrificed their free time to 
helping, coaching, and cheering these kids along should be commended. 
McConn has had the added benefit and immense gain in managing his son 
who caught every game.
  Not only did the boys from Bellaire capture a spot in the World 
Series, they also captured our hearts. The Bellaire team's slogans of 
``We Believe'' and ``This is our Year'' became mottos that will 
reverberate long after this season ended. The mottos and the qualities 
of teamwork, cooperation, fairness, athleticism and focus that the boys 
learned will serve them well for the rest of their lives.
  These boys, Alex Atherton, Sean Farrell, Zach Jamail, Mitchell 
Malone, Terrence McConn, Ben Silberman, Nick Wills, Drew Zizinia, Ross 
Haggard, Hunter Johnson, Michael Johnson and Justin Shufelt will take 
the summer of 2000 with them forever.
  Borrowing a line from ``Field of Dreams,'' Kevin Costner, who threw 
out the ceremonial first pitch to Terrence McConn and was honored at 
the 54th annual Little League Baseball World Series, said the memories 
of Little League are ``so thick that I have to brush them away from my 
face.''
  Years from now, I predict these young gentlemen from Bellaire will 
feel the same way.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Bellaire Little League All-Stars and 
I thank them for reminding us what good sportsmanship and grace under 
pressure is all about. I join the other fans of the 25th District of 
Texas in saluting our young heroes.

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