[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 177 (Friday, November 18, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2094]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




A TRIBUTE TO JEFF MANTO AND THE 21ST CENTURY LEARNING CENTER IN BRISTOL 
                                BOROUGH

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. MICHAEL G. FITZPATRICK

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 18, 2011

  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Jeffrey Paul 
Manto, former Major League Baseball player and longtime resident of 
Bristol, Pennsylvania. This Saturday, Jeff will be honored by the 21st 
Century Learning Center in Bristol Borough as ``Person of the Year,'' 
for his community support and involvement with the center's After 
School Steering Committee.
   Mr. Manto was born at Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol, Pennsylvania 
on August 23, 1964. Jeff was the third of four children of Michael and 
Antoinette ``Toni'' Manto. His father was a Magisterial District Judge 
in Bristol Borough and his mother was a homemaker. Mike and Toni 
encouraged all of their children to excel in every arena in which they 
participated. This encouragement was the guiding force that helped Jeff 
develop his baseball acumen, which was the predominant sport played on 
the streets in his closely knit neighborhood, called the ``Avenues.'' 
At Bristol High School, Jeff was a star athlete. He was the first 
student-athlete in Bucks County to pass for 1,000 yards in football and 
score 1,000 points in basketball in the same year. Often overlooked, 
Jeff also struck out nearly 100 hitters during the baseball season that 
year.
   In 1982, Jeff Manto was selected to All League and All-County first 
teams in football, basketball and baseball. He was subsequently spotted 
by a scout and drafted by the New York Yankees, but instead chose to 
accept a baseball scholarship to Temple University after considering 
other colleges with equal or better offers to play either football or 
basketball. His passion was the game of baseball. At Temple, Jeff set 
the single season record for homeruns and still holds the all-time 
batting average of .441.
   After three years playing Temple baseball, Jeff was drafted in 1985 
by the California Angels. By 1990, Manto was a dominant player in the 
game. He made his Major League debut with the Cleveland Indians and 
later that year hit his first professional major league homerun, in 
front of dozens of family members and friends, at Yankee Stadium. By 
the end of his professional baseball career, Jeff played in three World 
Series on three different teams: the Philadelphia Phillies, the 
Cleveland Indians, and the New York Yankees.
   Jeff retired from playing professional baseball in 2000 and is known 
today as one of the game's greatest all-around utility players, 
recognized for his power hitting and homerun swings. Often referred to 
as ``Mickey Manto,'' Jeff is the only player from the area with his bat 
on display at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New 
York.
   On December 7, 1991, Jeff married Denise Louise Sabol of my hometown 
of Levittown. Jeff and Denise have three children, Gabrielle, Andreana, 
and Jeffrey Jr. Beyond his career in baseball, Jeff continues to be 
involved in various community activities in our area, including 
scouting, coaching, and helping out at the Learning Center in Bristol. 
Accordingly, for his outstanding athletic, civic, and charitable 
contributions, Jeff Manto is being honored today.
   At the Bristol Borough 21st Century Community Learning Center, 
children have the opportunity to enrich their lives. Programs and 
services provided at the Learning Center, which are free and available 
to Borough residents in grades 6 through 12, include access to 
tutoring, academic, and cultural enrichment activities. Some of those 
activities include SAT Prep help, Hip Hop studies, sports, and 
community service projects. These programs provide opportunities for 
students to grow socially and emotionally and help them stay away from 
high-risk activities. Over 200 students attended programs and services 
in 2010-2011, and an independent report authored by the Bucks County 
Intermediate Unit that documents students' achievement gains 
substantiates the level of satisfaction with the Learning Center 
expressed by teachers and parents.
   Thank you once again to Jeff Manto and the Bristol Borough 21st 
Century Community Learning Center for all that you do for our 
community. Thank you for your hard work, dedication, and devotion to 
bettering Bucks County. It is my pleasure to speak on your behalf 
today, and I am truly honored to serve you in Congress.

                          ____________________