[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 82 (Wednesday, June 19, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1103]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO THE LATE GENE SULLIVAN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM O. LIPINSKI

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 19, 2002

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, Gene Sullivan, a gifted basketball coach 
and thoughtful social steward passed away February 21st in Chicago at 
the age of 70. He will certainly be known for his coaching 
accomplishments. As the coach of Loyola University Chicago's basketball 
team during the 1980's, he led the Ramblers back to the NCAA tournament 
after a 20-year absence in 1984-1985. The Ramblers won twice before 
losing to the national champion Georgetown Hoyas in the Sweet 16 that 
year. Coach Sullivan was rightly named the Midwestern Collegiate 
Conference Coach of the Year in 1983 and 1985, and retired with a 149-
114 record.
  Fortunately, Gene Sullivan extended his reach beyond his tremendous 
college basketball career. He cared about people and communities. Gene 
motivated thousands of student athletes by urging them to make 
responsible life decisions. More than 5,000 coaches and 55,000 athletes 
have taken his ``Stay'' pledge to remain committed to school and keep a 
positive outlook.
  After his retirement from coaching, Gene served as Deputy Chief of 
the Chicago Park District. He used his tremendous abilities and 
celebrity to greatly boost youth sports. During his tenure with the 
park district, Deputy Chief Sullivan repaired 140 city basketball 
courts and attracted thousands of Chicago youngsters to summer baseball 
leagues.
  Thankfully, Coach Sullivan's legacy will be remembered for many years 
to come. Tomorrow, the first annual Sullivan Awards Night for Coaches 
will take place at Hawthorne Race Course in my Congressional District. 
At the ceremony, seven Chicagoland coaches will be honored for their 
great work. Among them, Robert W. Foster of Leo High School will be 
honored with the Sullivan Award For Lifetime Achievement. Patricia 
Nolan Ryan, principal of Queen of Peace High School in Burbank, will be 
honored for her tremendous dedication.
  Mr. Speaker, I knew Gene Sullivan, and he was truly a great human 
being and a very good basketball coach. I salute all the participants 
and would like to submit Chicago Sun-Times columnist Steve Neal's story 
on this event for the Congressional Record.

              [From the Chicago Sun-Times, June 19, 2002]-

                      Awards Honor Coach's Legacy

                            (By Steve Neal)

       Gene Sullivan, who died much too soon, should be long 
     remembered as a great basketball coach and very good man.
       On Thursday night, legions of his friends are gathering to 
     celebrate his legacy. Bears Coach Dick Jauron and State's 
     Attorney Richard Devine, who played high school basketball 
     for Sullivan, are among those scheduled to speak.
       The first annual Sullivan Awards Night for Coaches will 
     start at 6 p.m. in the Turf Room at Hawthorne Race Course.
       Sullivan, who devoted his life to basketball, never lost 
     his love of the game or his determination to help others. For 
     the last four years, he enlisted coaches throughout the 
     Chicago area in his crusade against drugs, gang activity, gun 
     possession and hateful remarks. The Stay program, which 
     Sullivan kept alive, urged students and athletes to stay in 
     school, stay involved, stay out of gangs and stay positive.
       ``We coaches tend to get too wrapped up in our own little 
     world of wins and losses while the outside world is failing 
     apart,'' Sullivan told Sun-Times columnist Raymond Coffey in 
     1998. ``It's time for coaches to stand up and be counted on 
     these issues of keeping kids out of trouble.''
       Under Sullivan's direction and the sponsorship of the 
     state's attorney's office, this program has been a huge 
     success. More than 5,000 coaches and 55,000 athletes 
     representing 185 high schools in Cook County have taken the 
     Stay pledge and have participated in camps, clinics and 
     tournaments.
       By launching the Sullivan awards as a new tradition, the 
     Stay program seeks to extend Sullivan's legacy.
       The coach had an extraordinary run. He played basketball 
     for Notre Dame and later served as first assistant coach for 
     the Irish. As a prep coach, he won championships for Loyola 
     Academy.
       In the 1980s, he coached Loyola University's basketball 
     team and brought the Ramblers back to national prominence. In 
     1985, his team won two NCAA tournament victories and made it 
     to the Sweet 16 before losing to No. 1 Georgetown.
       The hardworking and dedicated Sullivan also did a stint as 
     DePaul University's athletic director.
       In the early 1990s, he served as deputy chief of the 
     Chicago Park District. He developed citywide summer baseball 
     programs that attracted thousands of youngsters. Sullivan 
     also took the lead in rehabbing 140 basketball courts in city 
     parks. He brought college football back to Soldier Field for 
     the first time since the 1940s. Taking advantage of his 
     contacts, Sullivan booked Notre Dame, Northwestern and 
     Illinois for Soldier Field.
       On Thursday night, Leo High School's president and veteran 
     football coach Robert W. Foster will be honored with the 
     Sullivan award for lifetime achievement. Foster, who is 
     already in the Chicago Catholic League and Illinois Coaches 
     Hall of Fame, shares Sullivan's determination to help others.
       Patricia Nolan Ryan, principal of Queen of Peace High 
     School in Burbank, is being honored with the Father John 
     Smyth Award for dedication.
       George Pruitt, athletic director at Robeson High School, is 
     getting the Bill ``Moose'' Skowron Award for fortitude.
       Dorothy Gaters of Marshall High School, the most successful 
     girl's basketball coach in local history, is receiving the 
     Willye White award for commitment. White is a former five-
     time Olympian.
       Frank Lenti, whose Mount Carmel football teams have won 
     four state titles in the last six years, is getting the 
     Johnny Lattner Award for excellence.
       Bob Naughton of New Trier High School and Tom Powers of 
     Evanston High are receiving the George Connor loyalty award. 
     Connor is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
       St. Joseph High School basketball coach Gene Pingatore is 
     being honored with the Johnny ``Red'' Kerr award for 
     determination.

     

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