[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 144 (Wednesday, October 15, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H9400-H9401]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING AND CONGRATULATING EAST BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, UNITED 
                  STATES LITTLE LEAGUE TEAM CHAMPIONS

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 273) recognizing and 
congratulating the East Boynton Beach, Florida, Little League team as 
the 2003 United States Little League Champions.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 273

       Whereas the Little League team East Boynton Beach, Florida, 
     captured the Florida State and Southeastern United States 
     Regional Championship to reach the Little League World Series 
     in historic Williamsport, Pennsylvania;
       Whereas more than 7,000 teams from around the world 
     competed for the honor of reaching the Little League World 
     Series, East Boynton Beach was among the 8 final American 
     teams;
       Whereas, on August 23, 2003, after competing against the 
     best young baseball players in the Nation, East Boynton Beach 
     defeated the team from Saugus, Massachusetts, by a score of 
     9-2 in the final game, thus capturing the United States 
     Little League Championship title;
       Whereas the team spirit and sportsmanship displayed by its 
     roster of East Boynton Beach players Michael Broad, Richie 
     DeJesus, Cody Emerson, Jordan Irene, Patrick Mullen, R.J. 
     Neal, Matt Overton, Ricky Sabatino, Benny Townsend, Devon 
     Travis, and Andrew Weaver set a new standard of excellence 
     through team spirit and sportsmanship;
       Whereas the coaching staff led by manager Kenny Emerson, 
     assisted by coaches Joe Irene and Tony Travis not only taught 
     these young men how to play top grade baseball on the field, 
     but also taught them the best way to conduct themselves off 
     the field;
       Whereas national television commentators, sportswriters, 
     and other media from around the world singled out East 
     Boynton Beach for the way they joyfully played the game and 
     the respect and friendship they showed to all opposing 
     players from around the world; and
       Whereas these Little League ambassadors from East Boynton 
     Beach have honored their parents, families, teachers, 
     friends, and the City of Boynton Beach, Florida, by their 
     actions, demonstrating not only the best of Little League 
     tradition but the best of America: Now therefore be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) recognizes the achievement of the Little League team 
     East Boynton Beach, Florida, in winning the United States 
     Little League Championship and congratulates them on this 
     victory and on the example of excellence they set on the 
     field and off the field;
       (2) expresses its pride that the 2003 East Boynton Beach 
     team represents America as the 2003 United States Little 
     League Champions and invites the players, coaches, parents, 
     and other league and city officials to the United States 
     Capitol in Washington, D.C. to be honored;
       (3) requests that the President recognize the national 
     champions in their achievements; and
       (4) directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to 
     make available enrolled copies of this resolution to the City 
     of Boynton Beach and the Boynton Beach Little League office 
     for appropriate display and to transmit an enrolled copy of 
     this resolution to each player and coach of the East Boynton 
     Beach Little League baseball team.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette).
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as 
he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw), 
the sponsor of this resolution.

                              {time}  1500

  Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, this past August, some of the best young athletes from 
around

[[Page H9401]]

the country gathered in historic Williamsport, Pennsylvania, to compete 
in America's favorite past time at the 2003 Little League 
Championships. Today, I stand with my colleagues from Palm Beach 
County, the gentlemen from Florida (Mr. Wexler) (Mr. Foley) and (Mr. 
Hastings), to honor these boys from my home district who captured the 
United States championship.
  Just as we honor their victory with this resolution, I want to 
especially compliment them on their spirit and their sportsmanship 
which became legendary in this series. These are the character traits 
that deliver victory and most certainly enabled them to bring home the 
championship to East Boynton Beach.
  So let me first start by congratulating the boys from the East 
Boynton Beach Little League team: Michael, Richard, Cody, Jordan, 
Patrick, R.J., Matt, Ricky, Benny, Devon, and Andrew, who are also 
known as this year's United States Little League World Series 
Champions.
  While we all recognize their outstanding achievements, we also 
recognize that children do not get there on their own. In each of our 
lives, there are people we remember who have helped shape our character 
along the way: role models who helped make our choices clearer, role 
models who make our defeats less painful and our victories even 
sweeter, role models who teach us through their encouragement and 
support. As we grow older, we come to recognize the scope and impact of 
their influence and that influence as it has affected our lives.
  The boys from East Boynton Beach are surely no exception to this 
rule. They have been reared by loving parents who, no doubt, sacrificed 
much of this past year. To make their sons' dreams come true, they 
chauffeured them to countless practices and packed the family up to 
cheer at games all season long. When the boys were on the field, they 
were coached by the best in the league, led by manager Kenny Emerson, 
assisted by coaches Joe Irene and Tony Travis. These role models not 
only taught the team how to play top-grade baseball on the field, but 
also taught them the best way to conduct themselves when they are off 
the field.
  So for all of these reasons, I am proud to bring to the attention of 
the United States House of Representatives the phenomenal achievements 
of these fine young men from Florida's 22nd Congressional District. 
Their victory brought East Boynton Beach great recognition, as it has 
indeed all of Palm Beach County and the State of Florida. But it was 
their teamwork and their sportsmanship that brought us all the greatest 
of pride. We applaud their effort and are offering this concurrent 
resolution to honor their spirit, which captured our hearts and brought 
home the championship. I am sure my colleagues will join me in voting 
``yes'' on this resolution.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, 11 preteen boys from East Boynton Beach came within a 
game of winning the Little League World Series. They lost the Little 
League game to Japan, but they had a wonderful time playing the game 
and spending the summer becoming the first team from southern Florida 
to win the national championship. A pitcher on the East Boynton Beach 
team said of the Little League World Series game, ``I don't care that 
we lost. We had a blast.''
  Little League baseball was created for just that purpose. In 1938, a 
man named Carl Stotz hit upon the idea for an organized baseball team 
for the boys of his hometown of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Mr. Stotz 
gathered several of the neighborhood children and experimented with 
different types of equipment and different field dimensions during that 
summer. In 1939, he enlisted the help of others and formed three teams: 
Lycoming Dairy, Lundy Lumber, and Jumbo Pretzel.
  Mr. Stotz came up with the name Little League, and the first Little 
League game was played June 6, 1939. His idea was to provide a 
wholesome program of baseball for the boys of Williamsport as a way to 
teach them the ideals of sportsmanship, fair play, and teamwork.
  Carl Stotz would have been proud of the East Boynton Beach team. 
Sportsmanship, fair play, and teamwork are what made them the 2003 
United States Little League Champions, an example not often set by the 
grown-ups involved in the game.
  The East Boynton Beach Little League baseball team played with 
respect and friendship for their coaches, parents, and opposing teams. 
And all should be commended.
  I join the sponsors of this resolution in commending them for their 
achievements.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I would advise the gentlewoman we have 
no additional requests for time.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Wexler).
  Mr. WEXLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
recognizing the accomplishments of the East Boynton Beach Little League 
team, which have been stated very eloquently, who won the United States 
Little League championship title this summer.
  This Little League team from East Boynton Beach captured the hearts 
and souls of America this past August through sheer determination, 
grit, and love for the game of baseball. Out of the 7,000 teams from 
across the globe participating in the Little League World Series, these 
young ball players displayed the highest level of sportsmanship and 
goodwill. I am extremely proud of the way they worked together as a 
team, as representatives of their community and Nation, and with the 
greatest amount of respect for their opponents.
  I join my colleagues in Congress in congratulating the East Boynton 
Beach players: Michael Broad, Richie DeJesus, Cody Emerson, Jordan 
Irene, Patrick Mullen, R.J. Neal, Matt Overton, Ricky Sabatino, Benny 
Townsend, Devon Travis and Andrew Weaver. I also want to highlight the 
extraordinary efforts of manager Kenny Emerson and coaches Joe Irene 
and Tony Travis, individuals who instilled a keen sense of skill, 
spirit, and confidence in these young men and taught them how to 
conduct themselves on and, maybe even more importantly, off the field.
  Finally, I also want to congratulate and thank those who are often 
overlooked who are critical to the accomplishments of these teams. East 
Boynton Beach's success could not have been achieved without the 
sacrifice of family members as well as the support of fans in Boynton 
Beach and throughout Florida. Clearly, the backbone of this team is not 
only the players and the coaches, but also the parents and family 
members who sacrificed their time, money, and effort to support this 
team of champions.
  Again, I would like to join the gentlemen from Florida (Mr. Shaw) 
(Mr. Hastings) (Mr. Foley) in congratulating the East Boynton Beach 
Little League team for winning the United States league championship.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the gentlewoman from California (Ms. 
Watson), I yield back the balance of our time.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the resolution, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Petri). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
273.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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