[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 54 (Monday, April 16, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E536]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      COACH DAVID SITTON--500 WINS

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 16, 2012

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it's that time of year again; 
backyards and ballparks are back in full swing. There's nothing like a 
day, or night, at the ballpark. I remember going to the Houston Buffs 
games over on the Gulf Freeway, where Finger's is now, and to Colt 
Stadium to watch the Colt 45s. When the wind blew, the wooden bleachers 
at Colt Stadium would sway. It was a big deal back then to go to a 
game. Most of the time, we listened to the broadcast on a transistor 
radio. (Are there any of those left?) If you can't be there in-person, 
there's nothing really quite like listening to a game on the radio.
  Then came the Astrodome. The first game was played there on April 9, 
1965 against the New York Yankees. Governor John Connally threw out the 
first pitch, and President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird 
joined Astros President Roy Hofheinz in his suite. There were so many 
flashes going off that it was blinding. The Astrodome was a marvel to 
the world, the ushering in of indoor baseball. Even with the great home 
run kings Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris playing for Bronx Bombers, the 
Astros beat the Yankees 2 1 in 12 innings (those were the days).
  There was nothing else like the Dome--the Eighth Wonder of the World. 
The players would stand in centerfield and hit balls straight up to see 
if they could hit the roof. And, who could forget the gun slinging 
cowboy on the scoreboard? As a parent, I brought my kids to the games. 
They wore Nolan Ryan's number 34 and cheered for players like Terry 
Puhl, Joe Niekro, Craig Reynolds, Alan Ashby, Billy Doran and Jose Cru-
u-u-u-u-u-u-z. Last season, I watched alongside my grandkids as the 
train moves along the track, high above the new stadium--Minute Maid 
Park--whenever Biggio, Bagwell and Berkman (the Killer B's) hit 
homeruns. Two of my favorite players happen to be none other than 
Kingwood's own, Phil ``Scrap-Iron'' Garner (later coach of the Astros) 
and Craig Reynolds.
  With all of the legends of the past, you may not know that we live 
amongst another baseball legend: Coach David Sitton. Coach Sitton 
started his baseball career as a pitcher for Humble High School. Lucky 
for us, he returned to his alma mater and never hung up his cleats. For 
28 seasons, Coach Sitton has led his team and truth be told, the folks 
in Humble would be lost without Coach Sitton. Some say he bleeds 
purple, and I don't question it.
  It is said that the measure of a man is the influence that he has on 
the lives of others. Coach Sitton has undoubtedly made a lasting impact 
on the many students and teachers he has worked with over his career. 
He has guided the Wildcats to 8 District Championships, 2 Regional Semi 
Finals, 2 Regional Finals, 17 playoff appearances and been named Coach 
of the Year 9 times. Throughout Coach Sitton's tenure, more than 80 
players have gone on to play college baseball, and some went on to play 
professionally. And, on February 23rd, he led his team to another 
significant milestone: 500 career wins.
  Our hometown hero Coach Sitton also has done great things off the 
field. He has volunteered many hours to numerous community activities 
and non-profit organizations. He created the Houston Area Baseball 
Coaches Association. This association raises money for scholarships and 
helps unsigned players find colleges to further their playing skills. 
But, his remarkable contributions to our town were almost taken away 
too soon. On January 12, 2009, Coach Sitton was involved in a near-
fatal motorcycle accident, suffering multiple fractures, head trauma, a 
broken nose, bleeding in his brain, 2 cracked ribs and a broken pelvis. 
The community immediately acted to help Coach Sitton and his family. 
They set up an account so that friends and family could donate money to 
help pay for medical expenses and they cooked and delivered meals to 
the family during his recovery. The outpouring of support from the 
Humble/Kingwood community was in true fashion of Wildcat Pride.
  We are grateful and blessed that he survived and, remarkably, is once 
again dedicating all of his time to our local community. The community 
is proud of Coach David Sitton for all of his accomplishments as a 
coach and a leader. His most recent victory was winning his 500th game 
as the head coach of the Humble Wildcats. We are lucky that he will 
continue to provide positive mentorship as a coach, husband, father, 
role model and educator. The Wildcats, and the entire city of Humble, 
are fortunate to call him one of our own.
  Now, let's play ball.
  And that's just the way it is.

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