[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 64 (Thursday, May 10, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E765]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO BILL WALSH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ZOE LOFGREN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 9, 2001

  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Bill Walsh, the vice 
president and general manager of the San Francisco 49ers, who has been 
named San Jose State University's 2001 Tower Award winner. The Tower 
Award is presented annually to an individual ``who has made a 
significant contribution to the university community through his or her 
outstanding work.''
  Bill Walsh has twice graduated from San Jose State University: once 
with a bachelor's degree in education in 1955, and then with a master's 
degree in the same field in 1959. Mr. Walsh began his coaching career 
as an assistant at Monterey Peninsula Junior College in 1955, before 
heading back to San Jose State as a graduate assistant in 1956.
  After stints at the University of California and Stanford, Bill Walsh 
joined the Oakland Raiders as the offensive backfield coach. His 
illustrious career includes coaching slots with the Bengals and 
Chargers organizations.
  Hired in 1979 as the head coach, Bill Walsh coached the San Francisco 
49ers to three Super Bowl championships in the 1980s and was a 1993 
inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Mr. Walsh retired from 
active coaching in the NFL in 1988 with a career record of 102 wins, 63 
losses. Bill Walsh now serves as an assistant to the coaching staff of 
the 49ers.
  Bill Walsh was one of only 14 coaches in the history of pro football 
to be elected to the NFL Hall of Fame, and the first coach in team 
history to reach the 100-win plateau. He was twice named NFL Coach of 
the Year and was later named NFL Coach of the Decade for the 1980s. He 
is the author of two books, ``Finding the Winning Edge'' and ``Building 
A Champion.''
  San Jose State University president Robert Caret said of Bill Walsh, 
``[his] role as a coach, an author and as an executive in the industry 
has brought a new level of professionalism to the sports industry. It 
is a great source of pride that he is an alumnus of the university.'' I 
congratulate Bill Walsh on this truly prestigious award, and thank him 
for his support of San Jose State University. My family and I wish him 
the best.

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