[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 176 (Tuesday, December 1, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H13361-H13363]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1430
                        GEORGE KELL POST OFFICE

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 3634) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 109 Main Street in Swifton, Arkansas, as the 
``George Kell Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3634

         Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
     of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. GEORGE KELL POST OFFICE.

         (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States 
     Postal Service located at 109 Main Street in Swifton, 
     Arkansas, shall be known and designated as the ``George Kell 
     Post Office''.
         (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to

[[Page H13362]]

     be a reference to the ``George Kell Post Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and add any extraneous materials.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the House subcommittee with jurisdiction 
over the United States Postal Service, I am pleased to present H.R. 
3634 for consideration. This measure will designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 109 Main Street in Swifton, 
Arkansas, as the ``George Kell Post Office.''
  This bill was sponsored solely and principally by my friend 
Representative Marion Berry of Arkansas, and I would like to yield to 
him for 5 minutes for presenting this resolution.
  Mr. BERRY. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3634. My bill would name 
the U.S. Post Office in Swifton, Arkansas, for George Kell, a native 
son of Arkansas' First Congressional District.
  Throughout his life, George Kell distinguished himself as an athlete, 
a broadcaster, a businessman, and a public servant. He enjoyed a long 
career in Major League Baseball with the Athletics, Tigers, Red Sox, 
White Sox, and Orioles.
  During his 15-year playing career, Kell made the All-Star team 10 
times and established himself as one of the greatest third basemen in 
the American League. For his accomplishments, he was inducted into the 
Baseball Hall of Fame.
  After his retirement from baseball, Kell returned to the Detroit 
Tigers organization as their TV announcer, a position he held for 
almost 40 years. His broadcasting career allowed him to connect with 
generations of new fans who were too young to ever see him play the 
game.
  Despite all of his accomplishments in baseball, George Kell was 
simply a good friend and neighbor to those who knew him best. 
Throughout his life, he kept returning to his hometown of Swifton, a 
place he loved like no other. He was an active and respected member of 
the community, serving on the Arkansas Highway Commission for 10 years, 
and his career gave him the opportunity to see it all. He knew there 
was no place like home.
  Kell died in Swifton in March of this year at the age of 86. It was a 
tremendous loss that was felt by his friends and family and the State 
of Arkansas. George Kell's enduring popularity is evidenced by the fan 
mail he continued to receive long after his retirement.
  It is a fitting tribute that we name the Swifton post office, where 
he went regularly to correspond with his fans across the country, after 
this great citizen. It's the least we can do for a friend and a native 
son of the First Congressional District of Arkansas, and I urge that 
the House pass H.R. 3634.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3634 which designates 
the United States postal facility located at 109 Main Street in 
Swifton, Arkansas, as the ``George Kell Post Office.''
  George Kell played baseball for 15 years and, in that time, 
established his place in history as one of baseball's greatest third 
basemen. Over the span of his career, he played with the Philadelphia 
Athletics, the Detroit Tigers, the Boston Red Sox, the Chicago White 
Sox, and the Baltimore Orioles. Not only was he a 10-time All Star 
player, but Mr. Kell is one of only 11 third basemen elected to the 
Hall of Fame.
  Even after he retired, Kell's passion for the game continued. It led 
him to becoming a broadcaster for the Detroit Tigers. He broadcasted 
every game from 1959 to 1996, missing only one season in 1964. He was 
well loved and respected by fans and players alike. It's appropriate 
that we honor this local icon by supporting H.R. 3634.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, whenever a former member of the Red Sox is 
recognized, I have to join in those accolades, and I am very pleased to 
support the resolution offered by my friend Mr. Berry from Arkansas.
  George Clyde Kell distinguished himself as an exceptional 
professional baseball player over the course of 15 major league seasons 
and in his later life, as has been mentioned, as a beloved broadcaster 
for the Detroit Tigers.
  Mr. Kell made his major league debut with the Philadelphia Athletics 
in 1943, playing in one game, and became a consistent starter over the 
following two seasons. Notably, Mr. Kell was traded to the Detroit 
Tigers early in the 1946 season, which he finished with a .322 batting 
average and thereby began establishing himself as a Hall of Fame-
caliber third baseman.
  Over the course of his distinguished professional baseball career, 
Mr. Kell was selected as an All-Star 10 times, as has been mentioned, 
and hit at least .300 in nine major league seasons and led the American 
League's third basemen in fielding percentage seven times. Mr. Kell's 
finest season came in 1950 when he led the American League with 218 
hits, 56 doubles, and set a career high with 101 runs batted in and 114 
runs scored.
  In addition, Mr. Kell holds the distinction of winning the closest 
batting crown race in Major League Baseball history. Mr. Kell captured 
the American League batting crown in 1949 on the final day of the 
regular season during which he went two for three against future Hall 
of Famer Bob Lemon of the Cleveland Indians and succeeded in edging out 
Boston Red Sox legend Ted Williams for the batting title by two-
thousandths of a point.
  After hitting for a .319 batting average in 1951, Mr. Kell was traded 
to my own Boston Red Sox in 1952 in a multiplayer deal, and the next 
season set a career high in home runs. Following his stint with the Red 
Sox, Mr. Kell played for the Chicago White Sox and concluded his 
playing career in 1957 with the Baltimore Orioles.
  During his two seasons with the Orioles, Mr. Kell helped to groom his 
successor at third base, fellow Arkansas native Brooks Robinson, who 
would later join Mr. Kell as an inductee into the Major League Baseball 
Hall of Fame in 1983. It was during their Cooperstown induction 
ceremony that Mr. Kell noted how incredible it was that two Arkansas 
natives had traveled the same path to the same place.
  Although Mr. Kell ended his playing career in 1957, he never truly 
left the game, as has been noted here. In 1958, he began broadcasting 
on CBS's Game of the Week and the following year joined the Detroit 
Tigers' broadcast crew, teaming with Van Patrick and Ernie Harwell, and 
later, Tigers' Hall of Fame outfielder Al Kaline. Mr. Kell continued to 
cover the Tigers until retiring after the 1996 season.
  Mr. Speaker, regrettably, George Kell passed away in his hometown of 
Swifton, Arkansas, on March 24 of this year at the age of 86. And 
although he is no longer with us, Mr. Kell's memory will live on 
through his beloved family, including his wife, Carolyn, and his 
brother, former major leaguer Everett ``Skeeter'' Kell, as well as the 
countless baseball fans that he entertained as both a player and a 
broadcaster.
  Let us honor Mr. Kell by designating the postal facility in his 
hometown of Swifton, Arkansas, as the ``George Kell Post Office,'' and 
I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join us and join Mr. 
Berry in sponsoring and supporting his resolution.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to yield as much time as he may 
consume to the distinguished gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman).
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3634, to 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
109 Main Street in Swifton, Arkansas, as the ``George Kell Post 
Office.'' I want to thank my friend and colleague and the senior member 
of the Arkansas delegation in the House for bringing this forward, and 
this is very, very important and certainly very well deserved.

[[Page H13363]]

  As has been noted, George Kell, as a professional baseball player, 
broadcaster, businessman, and family man from Swifton, Arkansas, made 
literally a household name for himself in Arkansas as one of the 
greatest third basemen in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1957, to be closer to 
his family, he retired. He then went on to become a Detroit Tigers 
broadcaster for nearly 40 years. In 1983, he joined the baseball greats 
when he was nominated for the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the 
Veterans Committee.
  During his career, George always kept Arkansas close to his heart. 
During his time in the majors, he bought farmland in Swifton, which he 
worked on in the off-seasons, and continued farming after he retired 
from playing baseball. Even when he was broadcasting for the Detroit 
Tigers, he still called Swifton home, commuting 1,000 miles from 
Arkansas for games.
  George remained committed to his home in Arkansas and helped his 
community. In 1962, he bought a car dealership in Newport, Arkansas, 
and later became sole owner of this budding business. After hearing 
Dale Bumpers speak in the city during his 1970 campaign, George jumped 
on the campaign trail helping the little-known candidate win the 
Governor's race. George was then appointed to the State Highway 
Commission where he served for 10 years, 4 of which as chairman.
  George was an Arkansan through and through and certainly a favorite 
son, so it couldn't be more fitting to honor him by naming the Swifton 
postal facility in his honor. He will be missed by family and friends.
  And again, I want to thank Congressman Berry for his work in bringing 
this recognition forward.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I don't believe we have any more speakers on 
our side, but I continue to reserve.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, with no other speakers, we would yield 
back the balance of our time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, just very briefly, I ask all of our 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join with Mr. Berry and Mr. 
Boozman in support of this resolution, and I yield back the balance of 
our time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3634.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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