[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 99 (Tuesday, July 25, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1527]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DESIGNATING THE NEGRO LEAGUES BASEBALL MUSEUM IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, 
          AS AMERICA'S NATIONAL NEGRO LEAGUES BASEBALL MUSEUM

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. SAM GRAVES

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 24, 2006

  Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about Senate 
Concurrent Resolution 60, a resolution sponsored by my friend Senator 
Talent, and agreed to by this body yesterday, that designates the Negro 
Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City as America's National Negro 
Leagues Baseball Museum. It was my pleasure to work with Chairman Pombo 
and the Resources Committee to bring this important resolution to the 
floor, and I thank the Chairman for his help and friendship.
  Those of us familiar with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum already 
think of it as America's museum, but the passage of this resolution 
makes that distinction official.
  The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum was founded in 1990, and for its 
first four years of existence operated out of a one room office in the 
historic 18th and Vine District of Kansas City. Today it is a 10,000 
square foot Museum, filled with historic memorabilia, sculptures, 
photographs, and other exhibits that pay tribute to some of baseball's 
greatest pioneers.
  It is fitting that the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is in Kansas 
City, Missouri, Mr. Speaker, because the Negro Leagues were officially 
organized in Kansas City during a meeting in 1920. Kansas City was also 
the home of the Negro Leagues' longest-running franchise--the Kansas 
City Monarchs--which sent more Negro Leagues players to Major League 
Baseball than any other Negro Leagues franchise.
  From 1920 until the closure of the last teams in the early 1960s, 
countless greats excelled at America's pastime in the Negro Leagues, 
including Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, James ``Cool Papa'' Bell, Ernie 
Banks, Hank Aaron, Jackie Robinson, and of course Mr. Speaker, John 
Jordan ``Buck'' O'Neil.
  Mr. O'Neil is the current Chairman of the Board of the Negro Leagues 
Baseball Museum, and continues to work tirelessly at age 94. He has 
enjoyed an unparalleled career as a player, scout, manager, coach, and 
ambassador for baseball since 1937, and Buck O'Neil also selflessly 
interrupted his stellar professional baseball career to serve our 
country during World War II in the United States Navy.
  It is ironic that this resolution came before the House for 
consideration a few days before Hall of Fame weekend in Cooperstown, 
New York. Several Negro Leagues players will be inducted into the Hall 
of Fame this weekend, but Buck O'Neil is tragically not among them. Mr. 
Speaker, I can think of no one more qualified for induction into the 
Hall of Fame than Buck O'Neil, but sadly that will not happen this 
weekend.
  So, we must console ourselves in the knowledge that Buck O'Neil's 
passion--the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum--is granted official 
recognition by our nation with yesterday's passage of this concurrent 
resolution. I thank my colleagues for supporting this important 
measure, and I urge them to come to Kansas City and visit America's 
National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

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