[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 146 (Thursday, November 15, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6871-S6872]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONGRATULATING THE 2012 WORLD SERIES CHAMPION SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 598 submitted earlier
today.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The assistant legislative read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 598) commending and congratulating
the San Francisco Giants for winning the 2012 World Series.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I am thrilled, along with my friend
and fellow Giants fan Senator Boxer, to support a resolution honoring
Major League Baseball's 2012 World Series champions, the San Francisco
Giants.
Behind the best starting pitching in baseball, a shutdown bullpen,
brilliant defense and timely hitting, our Giants are, once again, kings
of the baseball world.
They defeated the American League Champion Detroit Tigers 4 games to
none in the 108th World Series to win their second title in just 3
years.
It is the seventh title in the long, storied history of the
franchise, and their second since moving to San Francisco in 1958.
Indeed, these are truly the glory days of Giants baseball in San
Francisco.
The 2010 Giants were known as a band of misfits and castoffs who
shocked the baseball world by winning the Giants' first World Series
title in 56 years.
This Giants team can only be described as resilient, a diverse
collection of veterans, rookies, and midseason acquisitions who banded
together with a ``never-say-die'' spirit to overcome the greatest of
odds to win it all.
Down two games to none in the best of five Division Series against
the Cincinnati Reds, outfielder Hunter Pence gathered his teammates
together before the third game and urged them not to give up, to play
for each other, win each moment, and leave it all on the field so they
could spend another day together.
He was not ready to go home, and neither were the Giants. They won
that game and the next two, stunning the Reds and advancing to the
National League Championship Series against the defending World Series
champion St. Louis Cardinals.
In that series, the Giants once again found their backs against the
wall, down three games to one in the best-of-seven series. In game 5 at
St. Louis, Giants pitcher Barry Zito overcame years of adversity to
pitch the game of his life, bringing the series back to San Francisco.
The Giants won the next two games to clinch the National League
pennant in front of their loyal and passionate fans.
They became the first team in more than 25 years to win six
elimination games in one postseason.
So it was on to the World Series against the Tigers, a formidable
team that looked unbeatable to most baseball experts.
But with all due respect to the Tigers--and my friends and colleagues
from Michigan--after the adversity they had faced against the Reds and
the Cardinals, nothing was going to stop the Giants.
In game 1, World Series Most Valuable Player Pablo Sandoval became
just the fourth player in World Series history to hit three home runs
in one game as the Giants won 8 to 3.
In games 2 and 3, starting pitchers Madison Bumgarner and Ryan
[[Page S6872]]
Vogelsong were dominant as the Giants both games by a score of 2 to 0.
And in the deciding game 4, the Giants rallied as National League
Series MVP Marco Scutaro gave the Giants a 4 to 3 lead in the 10th
inning, knocking home Ryan Theriot with a two-out base hit. In the
bottom of the inning, Sergio Romo struck out the side and the Giants
were champions once again.
And what a run it was.
The Giants closed out the post-season by winning seven straight
games, beating the Cardinals and Tigers by a combined score of 36 to 7
with four shutouts.
In the World Series, Giants pitchers limited the Tigers to just six
runs in four games and held them to a .159 batting average.
I congratulate all the Giants players for their heart, determination
and teamwork.
When your backs were up against the wall, you epitomized the best of
San Francisco and came together as a team, setting aside egos,
sacrificing individual glory and battling for each other, one game at a
time, until you were the last team standing.
I would also like to congratulate president and CEO Larry Baer,
general manager Brian Sabean, manager Bruce Bochy and the rest of the
coaching staff for putting together this team and establishing a
culture of excellence that is the envy of all of baseball.
Mr. President, I was privileged to be mayor of San Francisco when the
49ers--led by Eddie DeBartolo, Bill Walsh, Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott and
many others--began their run of five Super Bowl titles that established
the 49ers as a dynasty.
With their second World Series win in just 3 years, the Giants are on
their way to establishing their own dynasty, once again solidifying San
Francisco's status as not just a world-class city but a city of
champions.
Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the resolution
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be
laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate and any
statements be printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 598) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 598
Whereas the San Francisco Giants defeated the American
League champions, the Detroit Tigers, 4 games to none to win
the seventh World Series championship in the history of the
Giants franchise, and the second World Series championship in
3 years;
Whereas the San Francisco Giants won the 2012 National
League West Division title with 94 wins;
Whereas the San Francisco Giants won 6 straight elimination
games in the 2012 post-season, rallying from being down two
games to none to defeat the Cincinnati Reds in the National
League Division Series, and from being down three games to
one to defeat the defending World Series champions, the St.
Louis Cardinals, for the National League championship;
Whereas the San Francisco Giants won 7 straight post-season
games and allowed just 7 runs in that span;
Whereas third baseman Pablo Sandoval received the World
Series Most Valuable Player award after hitting .500 during
the World Series and hitting 3 home runs in Game 1, becoming
just the fourth player to do so in World Series history;
Whereas all 25 players on the playoff roster should be
congratulated, including Jeremy Affeldt, Joaquin Arias,
Brandon Belt, Gregor Blanco, Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain,
Santiago Casilla, Brandon Crawford, Aubrey Huff, George
Kontos, Tim Lincecum, Javier Lopez, Jose Mijares, Guillermo
Mota, Xavier Nady, Angel Pagan, Hunter Pence, Buster Posey,
Sergio Romo, Hector Sanchez, Pablo Sandoval, Marco Scutaro,
Ryan Theriot, Ryan Vogelsong, and Barry Zito;
Whereas the 2012 San Francisco Giants will be remembered
for overpowering starting pitching, unflappable relief
pitching, steady defense, and timely hitting;
Whereas the San Francisco Giants are superbly led by
President and Chief Executive Officer Larry Baer, General
Manager Brian Sabean, and Manager Bruce Bochy;
Whereas San Francisco is a city with a rich baseball
tradition, where players such as Willie Mays, Willie McCovey,
Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal, Monte Irvin, and Gaylord Perry
displayed exceptional skill that eventually took them to the
National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York; and
Whereas the San Francisco Giants inspired the city of San
Francisco and all Giants fans by showing unprecedented
determination, resolve, and teamwork in winning the 2012
World Series: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate commends and congratulates the
San Francisco Giants for winning the 2012 World Series.
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