[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 26, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S6916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN RECOGNITION OF RAYMOND BOURQUE

  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment that I know 
my colleague from Massachusetts shares with me to pay special 
recognition and tribute, celebrating the career of one of New England's 
most beloved sports figures, Raymond Bourque, who announced his 
retirement today.
  Over the course of a 22-year career in the National Hockey League, 
this future-certain Hall-of-Famer set a standard for all athletes--
playing with a special kind of determination and grit and, above all, 
class that has been recognized by his fellow players and by sports fans 
all over this country and indeed the world.
  He came to us in Boston from Canada as a teenager to play for our 
beloved Boston Bruins, earning Rookie of the Year honors for that first 
year in 1979 to 1980.
  Many make a large splash with a lot of headlines in the first year, 
but Ray proved, even as he won Rookie of the Year, to be more marathon 
than sprint. Through perseverance and a deep dedication to his craft, 
he played his way into the hearts of sports fans across the region and 
throughout the league.
  For over 20 years, touching literally four different decades for 
those 20 years, he was the foundation on which the Boston Bruins built 
their teams and chased the dream of bringing the Stanley Cup back to 
Boston. Alas, that was not to happen.
  The statistics, however, of his chase speak for themselves: The 
highest scoring defenseman in league history; a 19-time All-Star; a 
five-time Norris Trophy winner as the league's best defenseman. But in 
many ways it was more than goals and assists and legendary defense that 
won him the tremendous admiration of Boston fans. It was his 
performance beyond the game itself.
  December 3, 1987, is a day that remains indelibly imprinted in the 
hearts and minds of Boston sports folklore. It is next to Fisk's homer, 
Havlicek's steal, and Orr's flying goal. That day Bruin Hall-of-Famer 
Phil Esposito's No. 7 was retired and raised to the rafters of the old 
Boston Garden. Ray Bourque also wore No. 7 and most believed he was 
going to continue to wear his number for the remainder of his career.
  That night, Ray touched generations of fans and nonfans by skating 
over to Esposito, removing his No. 7 jersey to reveal a new No. 77 that 
he was to wear for the rest of his illustrious career. He handed the 
No. 7 jersey to a stunned and emotional Esposito and said, ``This is 
yours, big fella. It never should have been mine.''
  The Stanley Cup was the one thing that was missing during his years 
in Boston that continued to elude him and his teammates. In fact, Ray 
had the most games played without winning a Stanley cup--1,825. 
However, that distinction did not diminish him in the eyes of his fans 
or his teammates, the teammates who were proud to call him captain. It 
only made them all want to give him one last opportunity to prevail. 
With that in mind, Boston gave Ray his leave and he set his sights on 
that final goal--to win a Stanley Cup--only this time he set out to do 
it with the Colorado Avalanche.
  Even after Ray left the Bruins in the midst of the 2000 season in 
search of that goal, the Boston fans never left him. His new Colorado 
team immediately recognized his value as a leader and they awarded him 
the moniker of assistant captain upon his arrival. When he finally 
raised the cup over his head in triumph this past season, all of New 
England cheered for him. In fact, in an unprecedented show of support 
for another team's victory, over 15,000 Bourque and Boston fans joined 
in a celebration on Boston's City Hall Plaza when Ray brought home the 
Stanley Cup earlier this month. It belonged to Ray and to Boston for 
those moments as much as to Colorado and the Avalanche.

  Today we learned that Ray Bourque has laced up his skates as a 
professional in competition for the final time. He will retire and come 
home to Massachusetts to be with his wife, Christiane, and their three 
children, Melissa, Christopher, and Ryan. He will watch his eldest son, 
15-year-old Christopher, as he plays hockey at a new school.
  It is both fair and appropriate to say that for all of his children, 
as well as all young children, you could not have a better role model, 
not just in hockey but in life.
  I have been privileged to share a number of charitable events with 
Ray Bourque. He is tireless in his contribution back to the community 
and in the leadership to help to build a better community.
  If Ray's career were only measured in numbers, he would be an 
automatic Hall-of-Famer. But when you take the full measure of the man, 
he has shown to be one of those few athletes who transcends sports. He 
could have played a couple of years more. He could have made millions 
of more dollars. But he chose to go out on top and to return to his 
family. He felt his family had made enough sacrifices for him, and it 
was time for him to be there for them.
  In Massachusetts, and fans everywhere, I think there is a special 
sense of gratitude for his success, for his happiness, and we are 
appreciative of all of his years with the Bruins and proud to have him 
back home in Massachusetts.
  We wish him and his family well.

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