[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.

                          ____________________