[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 129 (Wednesday, November 15, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H8651-H8653]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONGRATULATING THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS ON WINNING THE 2006 WORLD SERIES
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 1078) congratulating the St. Louis Cardinals on
winning the 2006 World Series.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 1078
Whereas the St. Louis Cardinals won the 102nd World Series
on October 27, 2006;
Whereas this is the 10th World Series title won by the St.
Louis Cardinals;
Whereas Manager Tony La Russa is one of only 2 managers in
the history of baseball to win the World Series in both the
National League and the American League;
Whereas the manager and coaching staff have done a
remarkable job guiding this team to victory;
Whereas General Manager Walt Jocketty and owner Fred Hanser
have assembled and led a great organization;
Whereas all 25 players on the playoff squad contributed to
the victory, including World Series Most Valuable Player
David Eckstein, Gold Glove winners Albert Pujols and Scott
Rolen, as well as Chris Carpenter, Randy Flores, Josh
Hancock, Tyler Johnson, Josh Kinney, Braden Looper, Anthony
Reyes, Jeff Suppan, Brad Thompson, Adam Wainwright, Jeff
Weaver, Gary Bennett, Yadier Molina, Ronnie Belliard, Aaron
Miles, Chris Duncan, Jim Edmonds, Juan Encarnacion, John
Rodriguez, Scott Spiezio, So Taguchi, and Preston Wilson;
Whereas the sole goal of all 25 players on the playoff
squad was winning the World Series, rather than chasing
individual glory;
Whereas these players have been awarded a variety of
honors, including the Most Valuable Player Award, the Cy
Young Award, the Gold Glove Award, the Silver Slugger Award,
the Rookie of the Year Award, and the opportunity to appear
in All-Star games;
Whereas the St. Louis Cardinals have a history of great
players, including Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Ozzie Smith, Curt
Flood, Willie McGee, and Stan Musial;
Whereas St. Louis has a wonderful baseball tradition
because Cardinals fans have faithfully supported their team;
and
Whereas the San Diego Padres, the New York Mets, and the
Detroit Tigers proved worthy and honorable opponents during
the post-season: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) congratulates the St. Louis Cardinals on winning the
2006 World Series; and
(2) commends the players, coaches, management, and all
other personnel of the St. Louis Cardinals, as well as the
fans, on this great victory.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from North Carolina.
General Leave
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from North Carolina?
There was no objection.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the St. Louis Cardinals brought home their 10th World
Series title on October 27 of this year, and I would like to
congratulate the team, coaches, managers and fans on this exciting
victory.
With a history of outstanding players and sportsmanship, Cardinal
team members have received numerous awards over the years, including
Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player
[[Page H8652]]
and Silver Slugger award. I would also like to mention that Tony
LaRussa is one of just two managers in baseball history to win the
World Series in both the National and American Leagues.
I urge all Members to join me in congratulating the St. Louis
Cardinals on their success in the 102nd World Series and for keeping
America's pastime a thrilling sport to watch.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1100
Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my hometown St. Louis
Cardinals on winning the 2006 World Series. Rather than chase
individual glory, the sole goal of all 25 players on the playoff squad
was winning the World Series.
While many of these players have been awarded a variety of honors,
including the Most Valuable Player Award, the Cy Young Award, the Gold
Glove Award, the Silver Slugger Award and the Rookie of the Year Award,
and the opportunity to appear in All-Star games, I congratulate this
year's World Series MVP, David Eckstein, along with two Gold Glove
winners, Albert Pujols and Scott Rolen.
St. Louis has a wonderful baseball tradition, because Cardinal fans
have always faithfully supported their team. The St. Louis Cardinals
have a history of great players, including Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Ozzie
Smith, Curt Flood, Willie McGee and Stan Musial. Against all odds, the
extraordinary win marks the 10th World Series title for the Cardinals.
I commend General Manager Walt Jocketty and owner Fred Hanser for
assembling and leading a great organization. In addition, Manager Tony
LaRussa and the coaching staff have done a remarkable job of guiding
this team to victory. I would also like to commend the San Diego
Padres, the New York Mets and the Detroit Tigers for proving worthy and
honorable opponents during the post-season.
Mr. Speaker, it is with great privilege that I pay tribute to the
players, coaches, management and all other personnel of the St. Louis
Cardinals, as well as the fans, who, I may note, have never had a riot
after the celebration starts for a World Series title. On this great
victory today, before Congress, I ask for approval of this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, my husband, who is one of the biggest sports
fans in the world, and a huge, huge baseball fan, always finds it
amusing when I handle these bills on the floor. Because while I do my
best to try to keep up with what is going on in all the sports, I can't
always keep up with everything that is going on.
As a family that supports the Dodgers, we want to particularly make
this a significant congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals for
carrying on such a fine tradition in winning the World Series.
Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 2006
World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals. Join me in congratulating
the front office, the coaches and the players in bringing home the 10th
World Series Title in franchise history and the first since 1982.
After struggling for much of the regular season's final four months,
the redbirds overcame numerous injuries and ended the regular season
with an 83-78 mark to take the National League Central Division Pennant
over the Houston Astros by a game and a half.
St. Louis was an underdog going into the playoffs and upon victory
became only the second franchise in Major League history to win the
World Series without having home field advantage in any of their
postseason series. Cardinal Manager Tony LaRussa, who also won a World
Series in 1989 with the Oakland Athletics, joined Sparky Anderson as
the only manager to win a World Series title in both the American and
National Leagues. Many analysts of the game have said that this was
Tony LaRussa's finest season of management after a long and historic
career.
After barely holding on to their playoff spot, the St. Louis
Cardinals found new life and energy from their reinvented pitching
staff. The Starting rotation of 2005 Cy Young Award winner Chris
Carpenter, Jeff Weaver, Jeff Suppan, and Anthony Reyes pitched
brilliantly and were backed up by a host of relievers led by closer
Adam Wainwright. Wainwright finished his extraordinary postseason with
1 win along with 4 saves and 15 strikeouts in 9.2 innings of work.
Upon defeating the San Diego Padres in four games and winning a
heated seven game series against the New York Mets, the match up
between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Detroit Tigers proved to be one
for the history books. Some of the series highlights include Chris
Carpenter's game 3 performance where he pitched 8 innings of shutout
baseball, tallying 6 strikeouts, no walks, and allowing only three
hits. Also, during the series Scott Rolen came through in the clutch
with a .421 batting average and a .476 on base percentage with 5 runs
scored.
In Game 5, Starter Jeff Weaver crafted an amazing 2 run, 8 inning
performance; He finished the postseason with a 2.43 earned run average,
which paced all Cardinal starters. David Eckstein, World Series Most
Valuable Player, drove in the first run and scored the Cardinals' final
run in the Cards' 4-2 win over the Tigers. His hard nosed, strong
willed series performance that totaled 8 hits and 5 RBIs in the final 3
games acted as the catalyst for Cardinal victory.
Once again I want to congratulate the 2006 World Series Champions for
bringing the city of St. Louis and the Cardinal Nation its 10th World
Series title.
Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res.
1078, a resolution congratulating the St. Louis Cardinals on winning
the 2006 World Series on October 27, 2006.
This Resolution commends the players, coaches, management, and other
personnel of the St. Louis Cardinals on this victory.
This achievement is heightened by the fact that this is the 10th time
the St. Louis Cardinals have won the World Series, which is a truly
remarkable feat as it is the 2nd most World Championships in the
history of baseball.
Manager Tony LaRussa is one of only two managers to win the World
Series in both the National and the American League.
St. Louis has a storied baseball tradition. We have the best fans in
the Nation, who have faithfully and unwaveringly supported the team.
In the recent past, some of the Cardinals players have been awarded a
variety of honors, including the Most Valuable Player Award, the Cy
Young Award, the Gold Glove Award, the Silver Slugger Award, and the
Rookie of the Year Award.
These honors place the players alongside some of the Cardinals most
respected legends, including Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Ozzie Smith, Curt
Flood, Willie McGee, and Stan Musial.
The 2006 World Series Championship has added to this remarkable
tradition of St. Louis Cardinals' Baseball. Again, Mr. Speaker, I rise
in support of this Resolution to honor the World Champion St. Louis
Cardinals.
Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my heartfelt support
for H. Res. 1078, congratulating the St. Louis Cardinals on winning the
2006 World Series. I was born and raised in East St. Louis, Illinois,
and have been a lifelong Cardinals fan. The district I represent,
directly across the Mississippi River from St. Louis--the Metro East,
extending to Cairo at the southernmost tip of Illinois, is in the heart
of Cardinal country, and is still reveling in this victory.
The feeling for Cardinals fans has been especially strong for this
great accomplishment because even though it is the Cardinals 10th World
Series Championship, and even though the Cardinals have regularly been
in the playoffs in recent years, they had not won the Series since
1982. And there has been heartbreak inbetween these wins. Cardinals
nation thought they had another title in 1985, only to be victim of the
worst call in baseball history, when umpire Don Denkinger missed a
routine put out by the Cards at first base in the ninth inning of game
six, giving the Royals new life, and a Series win when they came back
to win games six and seven.
In 1987, the Cardinals lost the Series in seven games to the
Minnesota Twins, winning the three games played in St. Louis but losing
all four games in Minnesota's Metrodome. Just two years ago, the
Cardinals were swept in four games by the long-waiting Boston Red Sox.
The feeling is also strong because this Cardinals team, by the end of
the season, was not expected to go far in the playoffs. Winning 83
regular season games after a late season slide, the fewest of any World
Series champion ever, the Cardinals got hot in the playoffs,
dismantling the San Diego Padres and winning a tough series against the
favored New York Mets. In the Series, the Cardinals were again
underdogs as they faced the red-hot Detroit Tigers, a team that beat
[[Page H8653]]
the mighty Yankees and the Oakland A's, dropping only one game in the
process.
But the Cardinals were undaunted, and guided by veteran manager Tony
LaRussa, and relying on a bullpen full of rookies, resurgent starting
pitching and timely hitting--and benefiting from numerous Tiger
errors--the Cardinals cruised to the title in five games.
The entire roster is worthy of mention, as this was a total team
effort, but several players stood out, including rookie closer Adam
Wainwright, who was thrust into the role because of a late season
injury, David Eckstein, the Series MVP, late season pick-up Jeff
Weaver, who had a 2.77 ERA in two starts despite a sub-par regular
season, mostly with the Angels, and Yadier Molina, the catcher known
more for his great defense but who hit .412 in the Series.
Mr. Speaker, Cardinals fans pride themselves on their love of this
team and the respect they show for the opposition and the game of
baseball, and winning the Series was a great way to open the brand new
Busch Stadium. We are also proud of the great history of this team, and
what it means to our region, and I am glad we have the opportunity to
honor the entire organization today. I urge my colleagues to support
the resolution.
Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate
the St. Louis Cardinals on a tremendous season that culminated in their
10th World Championship.
The Cardinals were a great team led by a great manager in Tony
LaRussa and by arguably the game's greatest player in Albert Pujols.
Cardinal fans everywhere should be rightfully proud of this great
championship because they beat a true team that shocked the baseball
world in their run to the World Series.
You see, I am a fan of the American League Champion Detroit Tigers.
At the start of the season nobody gave the Tigers a chance, but they
underestimated the grit and determination of our team.
Much credit needs to go to owner Mike Illitch for putting together a
strong leadership team.
Team President Dave Dombrowski rebuilt our player development system
which has produced so many new stars and when combined with his deft
trades produced an incredible team.
Then he hired a great leader in Manager Jim Leyland who insisted upon
teamwork and a commitment to fundamentals that brought out the best in
a group of talented players.
And talented they are.
A future Hall of Famer in Pudge Rodriguez behind the plate.
A veteran leader at first in Sean Casey.
ALCS MVP Placido Polanco at second base.
Tiger of the Year Carlos Guillen at shortstop.
Brandon Inge at third who hit 27 homers from the bottom of the
lineup.
Craig Monroe in left who delivered 28 homers during the season and
five more in the post season.
Twenty-five-year-old Curtis Granderson in center who was the guy who
got it started at the top of the lineup.
And Magglio Ordonez in right who will always be remembered in Detroit
for his dramatic walk off homer that sent this team to the World
Series.
But the best part of the Tigers is our incredible pitching staff.
Kenny Rogers was signed in the offseason and many questioned why a
team would invest so much in a 41-year-old left hander. Well because he
went on to win 17 games, mentored a young pitching staff and won three
post season games without allowing a single run!
Twenty-four-year-old Jeremy Bonderman won 14 games and finished
second in the American League in strike outs.
Twenty-three-year-old Justin Verlander won 17 games on the way to
becoming American League Rookie of the Year.
Twenty-nine-year-old left hander Nate Robertson was a bulldog starter
who delivered 13 wins.
Thirty-eight-year-old Todd Jones didn't blow people away but did
deliver 37 critical saves.
While 21-year-old Joel Zumaya and his 103-mile-per-hour fastball
provided the foundation for our tremendous bullpen depth.
What a team!
This group lifted the city of Detroit and the State of Michigan on
their backs for a tremendous ride through a beautiful spring, summer
and fall.
They are built upon a strong foundation and with a commitment to team
work that bodes well for the future.
And the Tigers are not resting on the laurels of an incredible
season.
They have already added slugger Gary Sheffield to their already
impressive lineup which should send shivers through the rest of the
American League.
And while the Cardinals may have gotten revenge this year for the
Tigers victory in the 1968 World Series, we are already working on
getting revenge for 2006.
Again congratulations to the 2006 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals.
And congratulations and thank you to the American League Champion
Detroit Tigers on a magical season.
Bless you boys and go get 'em Tigers!
Mr. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1078.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those voting have responded in the affirmative.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.
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