[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 135 (Saturday, November 20, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11835-S11836]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONGRATULATING THE BOSTON RED SOX ON WINNING THE 2004 WORLD SERIES

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 482, submitted 
earlier today by Senators Kennedy, Reed, Kerry, and others.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will read the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 482) congratulating the Boston Red 
     Sox on winning the 2004 World Series.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, it is a long awaited--long, long, long 
awaited--privilege to have this opportunity on the Senate floor this 
morning to do something that no Member has been able to do for 86 
years--congratulate the Boston Red Sox on winning-the World Series.
  Red Sox nation is still celebrating.
  What a year for sports in Boston, first the New England Patriots win 
the Super Bowl in football and now the Boston Red Sox are the World 
Champions in baseball. This feat of the same city winning both the 
Super Bowl and the World Series in the same year is also rare. It last 
happened in 1979, when the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl and 
the Pittsburgh Pirates won the World Series. Boston truly is the city 
of champions. My only regret is that we didn't also manage to win the 
National Championship this year in the other famed contact sport--
American politics.
  But my purpose now is to urge my colleagues to support this 
resolution praising the victory of the Red Sox. That victory was 
celebrated not only in Boston but in the entire Nation, since Red Sox 
nation has fans in all 50 States. Fans across the Nation traveled to 
Boston on October 30 to be part of the 3 million fans who persevered 
through cold and wet weather to honor the team that they grew up 
watching and be part of the dramatic victory parade.
  The Curse of the Bambino, as it was called, was finally lifted after 
86 long years, and we had a World Series victory to celebrate at long 
last. It was far from an easy victory, but the Sox met the challenges 
with their never-give-up attitude. They came back from a three games to 
none deficit and won four straight games to defeat the Yankees and won 
the American League Pennant, 4 games to 3. The magical ride continued 
through the World Series that followed, and the Red Sox won another 
four straight games to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals and won the 
victory that has escaped us since 1918. And in doing so, winning eight 
straight playoff games, the Red Sox set a separate major league 
baseball record as well.
  So I welcome this opportunity to salute each of these gifted and 
dedicated athletes as the modern Red Sox heroes, they are--Mark 
Bellhorn, Orlando Cabrera, Johnny Damon, Alan Embree, Keith Foulke, 
Derek Lowe, Pedro Martinez, Kevin Millar, Bill Mueller, Trot Nixon, 
David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Dave Roberts, Curt Schilling, Jason 
Varitek, and Tim Wakefield.
  Red Sox Manager Terry Francona deserves immense credit for guiding 
the team to this new height, and inspiring all the players to rise to 
the challenges when the going seemed bleakest against the Yankees in 
the playoffs last month. They remind me of one of the famous slogans of 
the Army Air

[[Page S11836]]

Corps in World War II--``The difficult we do immediately--the 
impossible takes a little longer.''
  I also congratulate, the president and CEO of the Red Sox, Larry 
Lucchino, and the team's general manager, Theo Epstein, who were 
indispensable in building this team of champions.
  The owners of the Red Sox, John Henry and Tom Werner, never wavered 
from their goal of ending the curse and winning the World Series.
  My grandfather, John Fitzgerald was Ma or of Boston when Fenway Park 
first opened in April, 1914, and it was easy to see how much he loved 
the team in all the years when I was growing up. I am sure he is 
smiling down now on this year's team as well, and I am delighted that 
my own grandchildren could savor this year's victory.
  For the amazing feat the Boston Red Sox accomplished this year, we 
are eternally grateful. And this resolution is a way of expressing the 
gratitude of fans in Boston and across the country for this 
extraordinary achievement.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
and preamble be agreed to, en bloc, the motion to reconsider be laid 
upon the table, and that any statements relating thereto be printed in 
the Record without intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 482) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 482

       Whereas on October 27, 2004, the Boston Red Sox won their 
     first World Series title in 86 years in a four-game sweep of 
     the St. Louis Cardinals;
       Whereas the Red Sox won their sixth world title in the 104-
     year history of the storied franchise;
       Whereas the 2004 Red Sox World Champion team epitomized 
     sportsmanship, selfless play, team spirit, determination, and 
     heart in the course of winning 98 games in the regular season 
     and clinching the American League Wild Card playoff berth;
       Whereas the 2004 Red Sox World Champion team honored the 
     careers of all former Red Sox legends, including Joe Cronin, 
     Bobby Doerr, Carlton Fisk, Jimmie Foxx, Carl Yastrzemski, Cy 
     Young, Johnny Pesky, Dom DiMaggio, Jim Rice, and Ted 
     Williams;
       Whereas the 2004 postseason produced new Red Sox legends, 
     including Derek Lowe, Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling, Tim 
     Wakefield, Jason Varitek, Keith Foulke, Manny Ramirez, David 
     Ortiz, Johnny Damon, Trot Nixon, Orlando Cabrera, Kevin 
     Millar, Mike Timlin, Alan Embree, Mark Bellhorn, Bill 
     Mueller, and Dave Roberts;
       Whereas Red Sox Manager Terry Francona brought fresh 
     leadership to the clubhouse this year, and brought together a 
     self-proclaimed ``band of idiots'' and made them into one of 
     the greatest Red Sox teams of all time;
       Whereas Red Sox owners John Henry and Tom Werner and Red 
     Sox President and Chief Executive Officer Larry Lucchino 
     never wavered from their goal of bringing a World Series 
     Championship to Boston;
       Whereas Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein assembled a 
     team with strong pitching, a crushing offense, and most 
     important, the heart and soul of a champion;
       Whereas the Red Sox never trailed in any of the 36 innings 
     of the World Series;
       Whereas the Red Sox set a new major league record by 
     winning eight consecutive games in the postseason;
       Whereas Derek Lowe, Pedro Martinez, and Curt Schilling 
     delivered gutsy pitching performances in the postseason 
     worthy of their status as some of the best pitchers in Red 
     Sox history;
       Whereas the Red Sox starting pitching in Games 2, 3, and 4 
     of the World Series had a combined earned run average of 
     0.00;
       Whereas Manny Ramirez won the 2004 World Series Most 
     Valuable Player award in the World Series after batting .350 
     in the postseason with two home runs and 11 runs batted in;
       Whereas the Red Sox staged the greatest comeback in 
     baseball history in the American League Championship Series 
     against their rivals, the New York Yankees, by winning four 
     consecutive games after losing the first three games of the 
     series;
       Whereas the Red Sox prevailed in four consecutive American 
     League Championship Series games, while producing some of the 
     most memorable moments in sports history, including Dave 
     Roberts stealing second base in the bottom of the ninth 
     inning of Game 4, David Ortiz securing a walk-off home run in 
     the 12th inning of Game 4, David Ortiz singling in the 
     winning run in the bottom of the 14th inning in Game 5, and 
     Johnny Damon making a grand slam in Game 7;
       Whereas the entire Red Sox organization has a strong 
     commitment to charitable causes in New England, demonstrated 
     by the team's 51-year support of the Dana-Farber Cancer 
     Institute's Jimmy Fund in the fight against childhood 
     cancers;
       Whereas fans of the Red Sox do not live only in Boston or 
     New England, but all across the country and the world, and a 
     grateful ``Red Sox Nation'' thanks the team for bringing a 
     World Championship home to Boston;
       Whereas the 2004 Boston Red Sox and their loyal fans 
     believed; and
       Whereas this IS next year: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates--
       (A) the Boston Red Sox for winning the 2004 Major League 
     Baseball World Series and for their incredible performance 
     during the 2004 Major League Baseball season; and
       (B) the eight Major League Baseball teams that played in 
     the postseason;
       (2) recognizes the achievements of the Boston Red Sox 
     players, manager, coaches, and support staff whose hard work, 
     dedication, and spirit made this all possible;
       (3) commends--
       (A) the St. Louis Cardinals for a valiant performance 
     during the 2004 season and the World Series; and
       (B) the fans and management of the St. Louis Cardinals for 
     allowing the Red Sox fans from Boston and around the Nation 
     to celebrate their first title in 86 years at their home 
     field; and
       (4) directs the Enrolling Clerk of the Senate to transmit 
     an enrolled copy of this resolution to--
       (A) the 2004 Boston Red Sox team;
       (B) Red Sox Manager Terry Francona;
       (C) Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein;
       (D) Red Sox President and Chief Executive Officer Larry 
     Lucchino;
       (E) Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry; and
       (F) Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner.

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