[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 24 (Wednesday, March 1, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H477-H478]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING BUCK O'NEIL
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Cleaver) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to first yield 1 minute to my
colleague from Kansas (Mr. Moore).
Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I am disappointed this week that
Buck O'Neil of Kansas City was not inducted into the Hall of Fame of
baseball.
Buck O'Neil was in the Negro Baseball League as a player and a
manager for more than 17 years. Buck taught the people of the Kansas
City metropolitan region about the importance of determination and
resolve, sometimes in the face of hostility. Buck taught us about
baseball; but more importantly, Buck taught us about life.
He is a wonderful role model, and I thank him for his contributions
to baseball, to the Kansas City metropolitan region, and to the United
States of America.
Buck O'Neil, you are a great American and a gentle man. You will
always be a charter member of the Kansas City Hall of Fame.
Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, this week Kansas City and our entire
metropolitan area celebrated our hometown hero, Buck O'Neil, a Hall of
Famer in our hearts. It is clear that the baseball Hall of Fame has
made a terrible, shameful error in not inducting Buck on this ballot.
As one of the Hall's own officials said, ``The Hall of Fame is not
complete without Buck O'Neil.''
Buck is the reason 17 members of the Negro Leagues will be inducted
this summer. Without his national visibility as an ambassador of the
Negro Leagues, they would not have this honor. Without his efforts,
very few would know the intimate details of segregated baseball in the
United States during the 1930s, 1940s, and even into the 1950s.
Buck, the classy man that he is, will never complain about not being
elected to the Hall. In fact, when told by reporters that he had not
made it, he smiled and said, ``That's the way the cookie crumbles.''
And so, on behalf of a community in tears, and a 94-year-old baseball
legend, I will stand and complain.
The omission of Buck O'Neil was wrongheaded and an insult to Buck,
the Negro Leagues, and baseball fans everywhere. Buck O'Neil is a man
who has done more than anyone to popularize and keep alive the history
of the Negro Leagues. The fact that he was not voted into baseball's
Hall of Fame is a wrong that only Major League Baseball can make right,
and I hope they will make it right next year.
This humble man, who is careful not to slight, has, in fact, been
slighted, apparently by a single vote, by a group who looked
shortsightedly at his batting average, but not at what he has done for
the game of baseball. There is one thing for sure: Buck's exploits on
the baseball diamond were not steroid-aided. At a time when the game of
baseball is in search of credibility,
[[Page H478]]
there is a need for a living symbol of all that is good and wholesome
about the sport. Who better than Buck O'Neil?
Think about the few people who would come to a baseball stadium and
get excited about the opportunity to be near Buck O'Neil. If given an
opportunity, Buck O'Neil could be one of the greatest ambassadors in
the history of Major League Baseball.
It is rare that an entire community rallies around a single person;
but our community loves Buck, what he stands for and his indomitable
spirit. Once again, Buck O'Neil is teaching us that disappointments are
to be cremated, not embalmed.
Buck's baseball career spans seven decades and has helped make him a
foremost authority on baseball history and one of the game's greatest
advocates.
I have never met a man who loves baseball and his community more than
Buck O'Neil; but more than that, Buck loves life. And for that inspired
love, Buck is adored by all those who know him and all who have heard
him.
Literally hundreds of thousands of people have been touched by Buck's
kind smile. He has traveled the country teaching children and adults
about the Negro Leagues, baseball and life in general. Many of you may
know his voice as the one in Ken Burns's documentary on baseball. We
know him as the man you can find sitting behind home plate at Kansas
City Royals baseball games talking to everyone who stops by to say
hello.
As Kansas City's mayor, I was inspired by O'Neil to revitalize 18th
and Vine, the historical center for black culture and life in Kansas
City from the late 1800s to the 1960s. It was the hub of activity for
African American homeowners, businesses, jazz and baseball enthusiasts.
One block from the district stands the Paseo YMCA building, which was
built as a black YMCA in 1914. It served as a temporary home for
baseball players, railroad workers, and others making the transition to
big-city life.
Mr. Speaker, I intend to introduce a resolution calling for the
commissioner of baseball to give a special recognition to Buck O'Neil
at the All Star Game. I will nominate through a bill Buck O'Neil for
the Congressional Gold Medal.
This week Kansas City and our entire community celebrates our
hometown hero, Buck O'Neil--a Hall-of-Famer in our hearts. It is clear
the Baseball Hall of Fame has made a terrible shameful error in not
inducting Buck on this ballot. As one of the Hall's own officials said,
``The Hall of Fame is not complete without Buck O'Neil.''
Buck is the reason 17 members of the Negro League's will be inducted
this summer. Without his national visibility as an ambassador of the
Negro Leagues, they would not have this honor. Without his efforts,
very few would know the intimate details of segregated baseball in the
U.S. during the 1930's, 40's and even into the 1950's.
Buck, the classy man that he is, will never complain about not being
elected to the Hall. In fact, when told he had not made it, he smiled
and said, ``that's the way the cookie crumbles.'' And so, on behalf of
a community in tears, and a 94 year old baseball legend, I will stand
and complain. The omission of Buck O'Neil was wrong-headed and an
insult to Buck and baseball fans everywhere. Buck O'Neil is a man who
has done more than anyone to popularize and keep alive the history of
the Negro Leagues. The fact that he was not voted into Baseball's Hall
of Fame is a wrong that only Major League baseball can make right. and
I hope they make it right next year.
This humble man who is careful not to slight anyone has been
slighted--apparently by a single vote--by a group who looked
shortsightedly at his batting average, but not at what he has done for
the game of baseball. There is one thing for sure, Buck's exploits on
the field were not steroid aided. At a time when the game has become an
American past-time in search of credibility, there is a need for a
living symbol of all that is good and wholesome about the sport. Who
better than Buck O'Neil?
Think about the fan appeal of Buck O'Neil, a bitterless black
baseball legend visiting each major league ballpark during the upcoming
season. He could attract African American youngsters back to the game,
and in doing so, keep the game going for another generation.
It is rare that an entire community rallies around a single person,
but our City loves Buck, what he stands for, and his indomitable
spirit. Once again, Buck O'Neil is teaching us that disappointments are
to be cremated, not embalmed.
Buck's baseball career spans seven decades and has helped make him a
foremost authority on baseball history and one of the game's greatest
advocates.
Buck Joined the Kansas City Monarchs in 1938. He left the team to
serve in the U.S. Navy in World War II. When he returned from the
Philippines in 1943, Buck played and managed with the Monarchs until
1955. As a manager, Buck guided the team to five pennants and two Negro
World Series titles. As the major leagues' first African-American
coach, Buck signed Ernie Banks and Lou Brock to their first minor-
league contracts with the Cubs.
I have never met a man who loves baseball and his community more than
Buck O'Neil. But, more than that, Buck loves life. And for that
inspired love, Buck is adored by all those who know him and all who
have heard of him. Literally hundreds of thousands of people have been
touched by Buck's kind smile.
He has traveled the country teaching children and adults about the
Negro Leagues, baseball, and life. Many of you probably know him as the
voice and face of Ken Burn's documentary on baseball. We know him as
the man you can find sitting behind home plate at Kansas City Royals
games talking to everyone who sops by to say hello.
As Kansas City's mayor, I was inspired by O'Neil to revitalize 18th &
Vine--the historical center for black culture and life in Kansas City
from the late 1800s-1960s. It was the hub of activity for African-
American homeowners, business, jazz, and baseball enthusiasts. One
block from the district stands the Paseo YMCA building, which was built
as a black YMCA in 1914. It served as a temporary home for baseball
players, railroad workers, and others making the transition to big city
life in the Midwest. It was there that the Negro National League was
founded in 1920.
The 18th and Vine Historic District is now home to the Negro Leagues
Baseball Museum, where Buck O'Neil serves as Board Chairman. I have
introduced House Concurrent Resolution 227, which would designate the
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum as America's National Negro Leagues
Baseball Museum. It is the least I can do for Buck and all those great
players who played magnificently and in many cases incomparably on
segregated fields where their peerless talents were hidden from the
nation.
Buck, a long time member of the Bethel AME church in Kansas City, has
never been bitter about what happened to him and all the other Negro
Leagues players, about the exclusion they felt. He acted out the
beliefs of his faith. He has preached a superb sermon with his life.
The best sermons are lived and not preached. His reaction to the news
that he had not made it into the Hall was a Sunday school lesson in
humility and love.
Buck O'Neil represents some of our most noble values: determination,
dignity, humility and excellence. He is a pioneer and a trailblazer
throughout his life and illustrious career and demonstrates in his
everyday actions that determination is the pathway to success.
Buck has said that all that matters to him is that he is in our
Kansas City Hall of Fame, the Hall of Fame of those who know and care
for him. On behalf of the millions of people who live around Kansas
City I can say with absolute certainty--you are a Hall-of-Famer to us,
Buck.
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