[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 152 (Tuesday, October 9, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H11330-H11331]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONGRATULATING THE WARNER ROBINS LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM FROM 
WARNER ROBINS, GEORGIA, ON WINNING THE 2007 LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES 
                              CHAMPIONSHIP

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 630) congratulating the Warner Robins 
Little League Baseball Team from Warner Robins, Georgia, on winning the 
2007 Little League World Series Championship.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 630

       Whereas on Sunday, August 26, 2007, the Warner Robins 
     Little League Baseball Team from Warner Robins, Georgia, 
     defeated the Tokyo Kitasuna Little League Team by a score of 
     3-2 to win the 2007 Little League World Series Championship 
     at Williamsport, Pennsylvania;
       Whereas although Warner Robins had taken one loss in the 
     series, they did not give up, and the Warner Robins team 
     battled back from behind to win the Championship game;
       Whereas this is the second straight year that a team from 
     the State of Georgia has won the world title;
       Whereas the 2007 Warner Robins Little League World 
     Championship Team consists of players Hunt Smith, Taylor Lay, 
     David Umphreyville, Jr., Nick Martens, Zane Conlon, Micah 
     Wells, Dalton Carriker, Kendall Scott, Clint Wynn, Payton 
     Purvis, Hunter Jackson, and Keaton Allen;
       Whereas the 2007 Warner Robins Little League World 
     Championship Team is led by Manager Mickey Lay, Coach Mike 
     Smith, Team Mother Robin Smith, and President Roman Jones;
       Whereas the championship victory of the Warner Robins 
     Little League Baseball Team sets an example of sportsmanship, 
     dedication, and a ``never give up'' spirit for men and women 
     all across the country; and
       Whereas the achievement of the Warner Robins Little League 
     Baseball Team is the cause of enormous pride for the Nation, 
     the State of Georgia, and the city of Warner Robins: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) congratulates the Warner Robins Little League Baseball 
     Team from Warner Robins, Georgia, on winning the 2007 Little 
     League World Series Championship; and
       (2) respectfully requests that the Clerk of the House 
     transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the City of 
     Warner Robins and each player, manager, and coach of the 
     Warner Robins Little League Baseball Team.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the author of H. Res. 630, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Marshall).
  Mr. MARSHALL. I thank the gentleman for the time.
  Madam Speaker, it is a real pleasure today to be here to recognize 
the achievement of the Warner Robins Little League team in winning the 
Little League World Series. An awful lot of people in Congress, 
including myself, watch those games, and it was a joy to do so and sort 
of relive my childhood, since baseball was my sport when I was a kid. I 
couldn't play baseball like those kids play baseball, but I still 
played baseball. It is truly the national pastime, and I would say to 
the kids that were so successful at this particular venture, and all 
other kids that play sports, that sports are a very important thing in 
your lives and you should try and do as well as you can when you're 
playing a game, be good sports, recognize that you're not always going 
to win, certainly treat the losers as the Warner Robins team did the 
Tokyo team, and then carry that same sort of spirit throughout our 
life, the same kind of drive, the interest in perfection, the 
commitment to doing your absolute best, and apply that in your school 
work, in the work that you eventually engage in as your vocation.
  Don't get fixated on sports. Sports is a great, great thing for kids, 
and all kids should play sports. Don't be couch potatoes. Don't be just 
sitting there in front of a computer and playing computer games. Play 
sports, stay healthy, but then take what you learn on the field and 
apply it every single day. If you do that, you will wind up being 
successful in life.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to basically read the resolution. It 
congratulates the Warner Robins Little League baseball team from Warner 
Robins, Georgia, in my district, on winning the 2007 Little League 
World Series Championship. This occurred on August 26, 2007, when the 
Warner Robins Little League team defeated the Tokyo Little League team 
by a score of 3-2 in a very exciting game.
  Madam Speaker, I want to specifically congratulate the team players: 
Hunt Smith; Taylor Lay; David Umphreyville, Jr.; Nick Martens; Zane 
Conlon; Micah Wells; Dalton Carriker; Kendall Scott; Clint Wynn; Payton 
Purvis; Hunter Jackson; and Keaton Allen; and also the Manager, Mickey 
Lay; Coach, Mike Smith; Team Mother, Robin Smith; and President, Roman 
Jones.
  I want to congratulate also the parents. It is an awfully big 
commitment for parents to make to see your kids through these kinds of 
athletic activities. Very, very few kids get to have the experience of 
winning a championship like this, but all kids are benefited from 
participating in sports.
  Madam Speaker, the resolution goes on to resolve that the House of 
Representatives congratulates the Warner Robins Little League baseball 
team from Warner Robins, Georgia, on winning the 2007 Little League 
World Series Championship, and respectfully requests that the Clerk of 
the House transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the City of 
Warner Robins and to each player, manager and coach of the Warner 
Robins Little League baseball team.
  To the extent that the Clerk needs help doing that, I am happy to 
offer my assistance.
  Mr. SOUDER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge passage of this resolution to 
congratulate the Warner Robins, Georgia, All Stars for winning the 
Little League World Championship in August in Williamsport, 
Pennsylvania. The achievements on the field, Dalton Carriker smacked a 
2-1 curve ball from Junsho Kiuchi of Japan over the right field wall to 
give the Georgia team a 3-2 walk-off victory before 31,000 fans, were, 
of course, remarkable.
  Madam Speaker, what happened right after that was even more 
remarkable and speaks even higher of the players and coaches involved 
in this great victory. In fact, these boys taught a lesson that we here 
in Washington would do well to consider. When the Georgia boys saw the 
Japanese boys slump to the ground in defeat, they rushed to their 
sides, gave them hugs and physically and emotionally lifted their 
spirits. They knew the Japanese players were opponents, not enemies. 
They knew that good, worthy opponents are a blessing. Without opponents 
who push us, we never put forth our best effort, and our victories are 
empty and meaningless and trite.
  The winning pitcher for Georgia, Kendall Scott, summed it up best as 
to why his team reacted as it did, and, little did he know, why 
programs such as Little League and other youth sports are so valuable 
to the character of America's youth: ``They don't disrespect,'' Scott 
said. ``They are very disciplined, and they are some of the nicest kids 
you'll ever meet. Just seeing them fall down and cry, you just couldn't 
let them do that. You gotta pick them up.''
  Madam Speaker, when these young men write their ``What I did on my 
summer vacation'' essays this fall, they will have a dazzling story to 
tell. They took on the world and won. But, better yet, they taught the 
world a lesson, that victories can come after the game as well as 
during it.

[[Page H11331]]

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, realizing that I will not have an opportunity to call 
the Chicago Cubs champions this year, I am pleased to join my colleague 
in the consideration of H. Res. 630, a bill that congratulates the 
Warner Robins Little League baseball team. H. Res. 630, which has 55 
cosponsors, was introduced by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Marshall) 
on September 4, 2007. H. Res. 630 was reported from the Oversight 
Committee on October 4, 2007, by a voice vote.
  Madam Speaker, Georgia's Warner Robins Little League team beat Tokyo 
3-2, to claim the world championship title on August 26, 2007. This is 
the second year in a row that a Georgia team has won the Little League 
Baseball World Series Championship game.
  Dalton Carriker hit a dramatic home run in the bottom of the eighth 
inning to beat the Japanese baseball team for the championship. 
Carriker said, ``I felt like I was flying, like Peter Pan. I didn't 
know what I was doing.'' This was a stunning home run that gave the 
United States its third straight Little League Championship.
  Madam Speaker, I commend my colleague from Georgia (Mr. Marshall) for 
congratulating the Warner Robins Little League baseball team from 
Warner Robins, Georgia, on winning the 2007 Little League World Series. 
I know that oftentimes individuals wonder why these things are done and 
what relevance they are, but the reality is that as young people grow 
to function with each other and learn the value of teamwork and learn 
what it means to win not just a game of baseball, but what it means to 
win in the game of life, all of the things that it takes to be 
successful as a Little League baseball team, those same principles can 
be applied to everyday life.
  When we congratulate these young people, we are also encouraging 
other young people. I would love to see a Little League baseball team 
on every square mile, in every neighborhood, in every block, so that as 
many young people as possible would get the opportunity to experience 
what the youngsters from Warner Robins, Georgia, have been able to 
experience.
  Madam Speaker, again, I commend the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Marshall) for his introduction of this legislation.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SOUDER. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 630.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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