[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 123 (Thursday, October 5, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1684]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             IN HONOR OF THE LATE MAYOR GEORGE CHRISTOPHER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. NANCY PELOSI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 5, 2000

  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of one of San 
Francisco's greatest mayors, Mayor George Christopher, who recently 
passed away at the age of 92. Every San Franciscan owes Mayor 
Christopher a debt of gratitude for his service as mayor and his 
commitment to San Francisco. Mayor Christopher envisioned San Francisco 
as the world-class city it is today and worked tirelessly to make his 
dream a reality.
  Having emigrated from Greece at the age of 2, George Christopher rose 
from humble beginnings to become the dominant figure of his time in San 
Francisco politics. He brought San Francisco the Giants, cleaned up the 
police force, championed civil rights, and altered the city's 
landscape. He changed the city in ways today's residents may not even 
realize.
  As the following editorial from the San Francisco Chronicle 
testifies, George Christopher was a ``Giant of San Francisco'':

       If the Giants win the National League pennant this year for 
     San Francisco, the person most responsible for the feat won't 
     be Barry Bonds or Dusty Baker or the legion of others who 
     take the field, run the bases or manage team affairs. No, the 
     real credit should go to George Christopher, the illustrious, 
     can-do guy who as mayor lured the franchise here from New 
     York more than 40 years ago.
       In a magical move that left New Yorkers seething, 
     Christopher somehow persuaded then-team owner Horace Stoneham 
     to uproot the Giants from the New York Polo Grounds and ship 
     them--Willie Mays and all--more than 2,700 miles west. It was 
     a glorious day in San Francisco history, and Christopher, who 
     died yesterday at age 92, will always be known for it--in 
     part, because hardly anyone knows how he did it.
       But Christopher was an early-riser, a go- getter who spent 
     long hours cooking up ways to elevate the vitality and 
     prosperity of his city. ``Every era has to take care of its 
     own needs,'' Christopher once said in a casual statement that 
     summarizes his spirit and tenure at City Hall. After 
     corralling the Giants, Christopher became the driving force 
     behind building a stadium for them to play in at wind-swept 
     Candlestick Point. There were some howls about the Arctic-
     like atmosphere that surrounds where it sat and some 
     questions of cost and patronage. But there is no question 
     that it was a pragmatic decision.
       With similar energy and insight, Christopher pushed for a 
     light rail system that evolved into BART. And he argued for a 
     hotel tax because ``extra promotional funds are needed to 
     bolster a number of worthwhile cultural activities, such as 
     the Opera.'' The fees, he reasoned, would also help attract 
     tourists.
       The business community shuttered, but Christopher was 
     right. Tourism has flourished ever since. And the hotel duty 
     has provided millions of dollars for the arts, low-cost 
     hearing and numerous other social services alike.
       No wonder he swept into office by a 2-to-1 ratio, winning 
     endorsements from all the daily newspapers, buoyed by support 
     from many Democrats even though he was a Republican. The 
     ever-gentlemanly Christopher will be long remembered for 
     baseball and for his distinctive brand of business-like and 
     effective leadership.

  My thoughts and prayers are with his three sisters, Beatrice Tentes, 
Helen Christopher, and Ethel Davies and all of his family and friends. 
We will miss him greatly.

                          ____________________