[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4159]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           TRIBUTE TO THE BAY CITY GIRLS SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON PAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 10, 1999

  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, later this month I will attend the 40th 
anniversary celebration of the Bay City Girls Softball Association. The 
Association has a distinguished history of providing recreational 
opportunities to girls in Bay City, Texas.
  Begun in 1959 with the fielding of the Delta Sparks by Lila Ray and 
Jerry Babik, currently the association serves youth ages 4 to 18. Among 
the honors received by the group are induction in 1975 of the Bay City 
VIPs led by Coach Ratliff into to the National Amateur Softball 
Association Hall of Fame, and the receipt of the National Association's 
``Most Improved Award'' in 1944.
  With heroic community leaders like Jack Rice and Palmer Robbins and 
recent activists such as Mike Mariner, Judd Perry, J.B. Smith and 
Dennis Mueck the business of preparing and making available playing 
fields for the association has been a real community effort in Bay 
City.
  And, with a storied history including legendary players like Patty 
Branagan, Diane Herreth, Carol Ray, Jeannie Mathis, Linda Babik, Diana 
Slliva and Connie Brooks and renowned coach Lila Ray the ladies have 
certainly made the most of these opportunities.
  Mr. Speaker, I wish to commend and congratulate the Bay City Girls 
Softball Association and all the community activists who contribute to 
this association, on this the 40th Anniversary celebration of this 
important group.

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