[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 141 (Thursday, October 10, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H6456-H6457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       TRIBUTE IN CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF MARVIN DANIEL PRICE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to 
Mr.

[[Page H6457]]

Marvin Daniel Price, who passed away July 21 at the age of 81. Mr. 
Price came to my attention because he is the youngest known person ever 
to play professional baseball in the United States of America. At the 
age of 14, Marvin played with the Chicago American Giants in 1946.
  One might wonder how this happened. Well, his sister, Ms. Gloria 
Price Simpson, tells the story that one day Marvin couldn't come out to 
play because he was sick. The other kids looked up to him, so they 
spotted him in the window and asked him if he would call the balls, and 
so he called out, safe, foul ball, fair ball.
  He always imagined that baseball would play a major role in his life, 
and in fact it did. At the age of 14, professional baseball soon became 
a reality for Marvin when he was spotted playing baseball in Washington 
Park by the legendary Chicago Giants outfielder Jimmy Crutchfield. A 
tryout was soon arranged with then-owner J.B. Martin at Comiskey Park 
where manager Quincy Troupe originally thought he was the new bat boy.
  It didn't take long for him to show that he wasn't there just to 
distribute the equipment. Marvin put on such a show that the Chicago 
American Giants decided to take him on a barnstorming trip to the South 
where he could play without jeopardizing his amateur status back in 
Chicago. Playing against hardened black baseball veterans in the South, 
Marvin displayed an awesome hitting performance.
  After a week he returned home to Englewood High School, where he 
graduated and went on to play professionally with the Cleveland 
Buckeyes, New Orleans Eagles, and Chicago American Giants where he 
batted .390. Just as it looked as though Marvin was headed for baseball 
stardom, he enlisted in the military and spent 4 years in the United 
States Coast Guard.
  After his stint in the military, he continued to play semi-
professionally; and over the next 30 years, he worked as a supervisor 
with the Chicago post office while working part-time with the Chicago 
Park District teaching young people not only about the game of 
baseball, but the game of life.
  On Friday, October 11, at U.S. Cellular Field, formerly known as 
Comiskey Park, there will be a memorial ceremony in Price's honor. 
Family members, friends and supporters, members of the White Sox and 
others are invited to come and celebrate his rich life and history. He 
was indeed a legend before his time, and so we salute you, Mr. Marvin 
Daniel Price, the youngest known professional baseball player in the 
United States of America.

                          ____________________