[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 139 (Wednesday, September 19, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1922-E1923]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING ART DONOVAN

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. C.A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 19, 2007

  Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. Madam Speaker, I rise before you today to honor 
Art Donovan, a member of the National Football League Hall of Fame and 
American sports hero.
  Art Donovan, Jr., was born in the Bronx, New York, on June 5, 1925. 
He first played

[[Page E1923]]

football at Mount St. Michael's High School in the Bronx. The son of a 
famed boxing referee Arthur Donovan, Sr., who supervised many of 
professional boxing's Joe Louis's matches, Donovan postponed completing 
his education and served as an aircraft gunner on the USS San Jacinto 
during World War II, participating in actions in the Pacific Theater.
  Art joined professional football as a rookie defensive tackle in 1950 
for the Baltimore Colts at the age of 26. The early Colts franchise 
folded after one season, and Art joined the New York Yanks in 1951, 
played for the Dallas Texans in 1952 and finally joined the next Colts 
franchise in 1953. Art became a hugely popular player and was 
considered one of the best defensive tackles in league history. He was 
an All-NFL selection five times and played in five Pro Bowls and the 
world championship for two years. The first Colts player elected to the 
Pro Football Hall of Fame, Donovan played 12 seasons in the National 
Football League.
  Donovan's Baltimore Colts jersey No. 70 was retired by the team in 
1962 and he was elected to the Football Hall of Fame in 1968. Donovan 
is presently the owner of the Valley Country Club in Baltimore, where 
my parents were original members. Since 1955, the club has been owned 
and managed by Art Donovan, his wife, Dorothy, and his family. In 1987, 
he published his memoir, titled Fatso, and has been a frequent and 
popular guest on talk shows such as the David Letterman Show.
  Art has been a friend to me and the entire Ruppersberger family for 
many years. After Baltimore Colts football games, I enjoyed going to 
Valley Country Club and talking football with Art and other Colts 
players. He would delight us with stories of the Baltimore Colts' 
championship teams of 1958 and 1959 which featured Hall of Fame 
defensive end Gino Marchetti, Don Joyce, ``Big Daddy'' Lipscomb, and 
Donovan. His sharp wit, contagious laughter, and wonderful stories made 
all of us his friends. I was amazed at how many Salami sandwiches and 
kosher hot dogs he could eat in one setting and wash it down with a 
Schlitz beer. Art played football with his friend George Young, who was 
my football coach at City College in Baltimore and later went on to 
become general manager of the New York Giants.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that you join with me today to honor Arthur 
Donovan, Jr. It has been a great honor for me to call Art my friend. He 
is a true American sports hero in Maryland, the United States of 
America, and around the world.

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