[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 8 (Wednesday, February 6, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H170-H172]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING AND HONORING JACK SHEA, OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST IN SPEED
SKATING, FOR HIS MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATION AND TO HIS COMMUNITY
THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE
Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 340) recognizing and honoring Jack
Shea, Olympic gold medalist in speed skating, for his many
contributions to the Nation and to his community throughout his life.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 340
Whereas John ``Jack'' Amos Shea was born September 7, 1910,
in Lake Placid, New York, a village in the Adirondack
Mountains;
Whereas Shea was the son of James Shea, a New York State
Assemblyman, and Grace Shea;
Whereas at the age of 3 Jack began ice skating and by the
age of 10 he was competing in speed skating;
Whereas Shea was the North American speed skating champion
in 1929 and 1930;
Whereas at the age of 21 Shea entered the 1932 Winter
Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, during which he won the
gold medal in speed skating for both the 500 meter and the
1,500 meter events;
Whereas Shea was elected to the Speed Skating Hall of Fame,
was among the first group of honorees elected to the Lake
Placid Hall of Fame, and received numerous other honors from
the speed skating community;
Whereas after graduating from Dartmouth College with a
degree in political science, Shea served as the town justice
of North Elba, New York, from 1958 to 1974, after which he
became the town supervisor until his retirement in 1983;
Whereas Shea was a member of the Executive Committee of the
1980 Lake Placid Olympic Organizing Committee;
Whereas in 1982 Shea was appointed to serve as vice
chairman of the Olympic Regional Development Authority;
Whereas Shea was a loving husband to his wife of 67 years,
Elizabeth Steams Shea, and had 4 sons and several
grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and
Whereas Shea's son Jim competed in the 1964 Winter Olympics
in Innsbruck, Austria, and his grandson Jim Jr. will compete
in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes and honors Jack Shea, Olympic gold medalist
in speed skating, for his many contributions to the Nation
and to his community throughout his life, and for
transcending the sport of speed skating and becoming a symbol
of athletic talent and a role model as a loving husband,
father, and grandfather; and
(2) extends it deepest condolences to the family of Jack
Shea and to the Olympic community on their loss.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Weldon) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Weldon).
General Leave
Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks on H. Res. 340.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the House consider House Resolution
340. I commend my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from New York
(Mr. Sweeney), for introducing it. This resolution recognizes the
enduring contributions, heroic achievements, and dedicated work of Jack
Shea.
Mr. Shea died on Tuesday, January 22, 2002 at the age of 91 from
injuries in a car accident a few blocks from his home. The driver of
the car that hit Jack Shea's car was charged with driving while
intoxicated and other counts.
Mr. Speaker, Jack Shea devoted his life to living the Olympic ideal
and passing his inspiration and knowledge to younger generations. At
22, Jack Shea won gold medals in speed skating in both the 500 meter
and the 1,500 meter events in front of his hometown crowd at the 1932
Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. With this accomplishment, he
became the first double gold medalist in Winter Olympic history.
Later Jack Shea recalled, ``When I stood on the dais to get the gold
medal and I heard the national anthem of the United States, how proud I
was to represent my country, my community, my father, and mother.''
Jack Shea not only promoted the Olympic ideal of peace, he lived that
ideal. He had a chance to win more Olympic medals at the 1936 winter
games in Germany, but Lake Placid had a large Jewish community whose
rabbi asked him not to take part in an event linked with Hitler's
Germany. Jack Shea honored that request.
Back troubles kept Mr. Shea from skating much after the 1950s.
However, he continued to serve the Olympics and the Lake Placid area.
He served as the town justice of North Elba, New York, from 1958 to
1974. He then became the town's supervisor and remained in that
position until his retirement in 1983.
Jack Shea also served on the executive committee of the 1980 Lake
Placid Organizing Committee. He realized his personal quest to bring
the Winter Olympic games back to Lake Placid. When speaking about the
winter games
[[Page H171]]
held in 1980 at Lake Placid, Mr. Shea said, ``I felt I would like to
accomplish one more medal, to bring the Olympics back to Lake Placid.''
He accomplished that goal.
Jack Shea was a member of the first family with three generations of
Olympians and, at 91, was the winter games' oldest living gold
medalist. Mr. Shea and his wife of 67 years Elizabeth had four sons and
several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His son, Jim Shea, Sr.,
was a Nordic skier in the 1964 winter games. His grandson, Jim Shea,
Jr., will continue this tradition by competing in the skeleton event at
the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
The Olympic games were obviously an important part of Jack Shea's
life. When the Olympic torch relay came through his village on its way
to Salt Lake City, Mr. Shea carried the flame into the Olympic speed
skating oval where he won his gold medals and ignited the cauldron.
Three weeks later at his funeral, his grandson carried that same torch.
As Father J. Michael Gaffney said about Jack Shea, ``Jack took life
and made something of it. He had an impact. People knew that he lived.
That kind of stuff you can't kill. It lives forever.''
Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate that the House recognize the dedicated
work and outstanding accomplishments of Mr. Jack Shea today and extend
condolences to his family. He improved the lives of many by not just
speaking about ideals, but by living those ideals that he promoted.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with the gentleman from Florida in
consideration of this resolution. Jack Shea was an Olympic gold
medalist, both on and off his ice skates. His death came just 17 days
before we are about to begin another Olympic celebration, and we are
truly saddened. However, we are here today to honor a great life and a
great man.
John ``Jack'' Amos Shea was born September 7, 1910, in Lake Placid,
New York. By age 3 he was on ice skates, and by age 10 he was already
competing in speed skating. In 1929, while he was still in high school,
he won the North American speed skating championship. In 1930, he
captured the title again. Two years later, he honored his hometown of
Lake Placid by winning the 500 meter and 1,500 meter events at the Lake
Placid Winter Olympics. He again honored Lake Placid through his
successful efforts to have the 1980 Winter Olympics return to Lake
Placid.
Jack Shea's Olympic successes earned him the distinction of becoming
the first person in Winter Olympic history to earn two gold medals. In
fact, the Shea family was the first to have three generations of Winter
Olympians. Jack's son Jim participated in three skiing competitions at
the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck. His grandson, Jim Shea, Jr., has
qualified for the upcoming Salt Lake City games.
Jack Shea's life was best summed up by his son Jim who said, ``For 70
years, he was proud to be an Olympian. He was the chief of our family
and loved what the Olympics stood for, to promote peace through
friendly competition.''
Mr. Speaker, I, too, am proud to honor this great life today, and I
urge that we continue to work towards further reduction of driving
while under the influence of alcohol so that others may never have
their lives taken by a drunk driver. Yes, Jack Shea was a great life, a
great soul, a tremendous legacy, and I am pleased to join in honoring
him today.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the
distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney), the author of this
piece of legislation.
Mr. SWEENEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I rise today to pay
tribute to a great man from my district and a great friend, Jack Shea.
I do so proudly as the chief sponsor of this resolution.
As the previous speakers have noted, Jack Shea was really an American
treasure, as are all of the members of his family. They have
participated so greatly and so importantly in the Olympic movement in
the United States, not just in the United States, but throughout the
world. Jack Shea, in 1932, in a real come-from-behind, underdog story,
captured two Olympic speed skating gold medals, and he embodied the
spirit and the will and the determination of the Olympic movement and
the goodwill that is projected from that.
It is at a very difficult time and a very tragic time that we lose
Jack Shea. He was 91 years young, but one would not know that. Last
week a group of Members of Congress and people from the administration
went up to Lake Placid, New York, to participate in an annual event
that we have, an Olympic challenge that is meant to bring people
together, to highlight the importance of Lake Placid in the Olympic
movement in terms of our Nation's history and what it provides for us
in terms of character, and Jack Shea ironically was to be our principal
speaker at our banquet on Saturday evening as we recognized the
achievements of all of those who participated. Unfortunately,
obviously, Jack was unable to be part of that event. But his grandson,
Jimmy Shea, Jr., broke from his training, training that is so critical
and important at this point, and delivered a speech on his behalf, as
did his son Jim, with the message that we must go on, and that is how
Jim Shea wanted it.
So I am particularly proud and excited about the idea that we have
been able to come forward today as a body to recognize the great
achievements of Jack Shea. In a couple of days, Jack Shea would have
been in Salt Lake City lighting the cauldron to begin the Winter
Olympics. But unfortunately and sadly, that is not to be what happens
now.
What is to happen now, though, as his grandson Jimmy Shea will
participate and represent our great Nation in these winter games,
having trained so diligently and so hard and learned so many lessons
from his grandfather and his father, also an Olympian from the 1964
Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, that that spirit will continue forward
and will be seen by the entire world and exemplified in the entire
world in the competition that is going to be undertaken in Salt Lake.
So I would call on all of our citizens to recognize the accomplishments
of Jack Shea by rooting real hard for Jimmy Shea as he endeavors to win
a medal in the United States Olympic skeleton team.
{time} 1415
I would further call on our colleagues to support this resolution
wholeheartedly as a symbol of our great support for a great man with a
great life.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier).
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding me time. I
rise to compliment our distinguished colleague, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Sweeney), for moving forward with this very important
measure.
It was 4 years ago this month that I had the opportunity to meet Jack
Shea; and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the gentleman
from Florida (Mr. Weldon) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney)
have all talked about the fact that 7 decades ago, exactly 7 decades
ago Jack Shea became the first American to win two gold medals. I had
known of him and had the chance to meet him, as I said, 4 years ago
this month.
He had a tremendous impact on me personally. I know that many of my
colleagues remember this well because I suffered for a while after
having met him because it was Jack Shea who encouraged me to actually
take the Skeleton Run at Lake Placid, and it was an experience that I
shall never forget. And Jim Shea, Sr., Jack's son, encouraged me to
simply say I wanted to ride the Skeleton sled to the team of men who
were putting us on to the bob sled run, but it was Jack Shea who told
me that I should actually take the Skeleton Run. And it was an
unbelievable, an unbelievable experience; and one that I, as I said,
shall never forget.
He was an individual who inspired so many of us, and we have been
fortunate to see that television commercial that has been running in
which we could see how articulate and thoughtful he was.
I remember the great interview that I saw just the other day after
the tragic accident that took his life, when he
[[Page H172]]
talked about how he was able to shed a tear over the fact that his
grandson would be the first of a third-generation Olympian. Four years
ago the Skeleton Run was not established as an Olympic sport, and I
know that it took a valiant effort on behalf of the Shea family and
others to ensure that it would be an Olympic sport. And so I just want
to say again, as I did the day after we got this news, that our
thoughts and prayers go with the Shea family, although I know that it
is not necessary, because they are so proud, so proud of their father
and grandfather.
I have been privileged over the past 4 years to call the Shea family
friends, and I do want to say that I hope very much that Jimmy is a big
winner when we see at the end of this week the Olympic games begin. And
I know it is set for the 20th and 21st, our colleague, the gentleman
from New York (Mr. Sweeney) has told me; and I can hardly wait, whether
I am there or watching it on television, to see that wonderful victory;
and we know that no one, no one will be enjoying seeing Jimmy Shea take
that Skeleton Run more than Jack Shea.
Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I again congratulate the distinguished gentleman from
New York (Mr. Sweeney) for introducing this resolution and working so
hard to bring it to the floor. I also want to thank the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Burton), chairman of the Committee on Government Reform,
and the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman), the ranking member, for
expediting its consideration.
I ask all Members to support this resolution to express our
condolences on Jack Shea's death and honor his life and achievements.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Weldon) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 340.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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