[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 20815-20817]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING THE WEST OAHU LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM FOR WINNING 
                  THE 2005 LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES

  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 429) congratulating the West Oahu Little League 
Baseball team for winning the 2005 Little League Baseball World Series.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 429

       Whereas on Sunday, August 28, 2005, the West Oahu Little 
     League baseball team of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, defeated the 
     Curacao Little League team by a score of 7-6 to win the 2005 
     Little League World Series Championship at South 
     Williamsport, Pennsylvania;
       Whereas the Championship game was one of the most exciting 
     in Little League history, with West Oahu overcoming a 3-run 
     deficit and winning the game in the seventh inning;
       Whereas the 2005 West Oahu Little League World Championship 
     team consists of players Layson ``Kaeo'' Aliviado, Harrison 
     Kam, Ty Tirpak, Zachary Ranit, Ethan Javier, Vonn Fe'ao, 
     Quentin Guevara, Sheyne Baniaga, Michael Memea, Zachary 
     Rosete, Myron ``Kini'' Enos, Jr., Alaka'i Aglipay, Manager 
     Layton Aliviado, Dugout Coach Tyron Kitashima, and First Base 
     Coach Clint Tirpak;
       Whereas the championship victory of the West Oahu Little 
     League Baseball Team testifies to the sportsmanship, hard 
     work, and dedication of its members; and
       Whereas the achievement of the West Oahu Little League 
     Baseball Team is the cause of enormous pride for the Nation, 
     the State of Hawaii and the community of Ewa Beach: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives congratulates 
     the West Oahu Little

[[Page 20816]]

     League Baseball Team on its victory in the 2005 Little League 
     World Series Championship games.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. 
Maloney) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht).


                             General Leave

  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker the West Oahu Little League Baseball team in Ewa Beach, 
Hawaii defeated Curacao by a score of 7-6 to win the 2005 Little League 
World Series Championship at South Williamsport, Pennsylvania on August 
28. This resolution congratulates the team, their coaches, their 
parents, families, and friends for their incredible journey to the 
world championship.
  Mr. Speaker, this was the first American team to win the World Series 
since Louisville, Kentucky defeated Japan in 2002. The road to the 
world championship and the experience of playing against the best 
players in the world at their age will be remembered and cherished by 
these young men for the rest of their lives.
  I thank the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie) for introducing 
this measure on behalf of the Ewa Beach Little League championship 
team.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, on August 28, 2005, the West Oahu Little League Baseball 
team, hailing from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, won the Little League World 
Series championship in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. They beat the 
defending champions from Willemstad, Curacao by a score of 7-6 in 
dramatic fashion.
  Trailing for much of the game, the West Oahu team rallied in the 
bottom of the sixth inning, evening the score at 6-6 and sending the 
game into extra innings. The first batter in the bottom of the seventh 
inning hit a spectacular home run over the center field wall to seal 
the victory for the West Oahu team, the first Little League World 
Series champions in the history of the State of Hawaii.
  The West Oahu victory in the 59th Little League World Series 
championship is and likely will remain one of the most exciting 
finishes in the championship's storied history. The hard work and 
dedication of West Oahu team members and their coaches and their 
families and friends are reflected in this tremendous accomplishment.
  I hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating this team in 
their momentous achievement in winning the Little League World Series 
championship.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from the great State 
of Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie), the author of this resolution.
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in favor of House 
Resolution 429, as one might imagine.
  As has been indicated, on Sunday August 28, 2005, the West Oahu 
Little League team from Ewa Beach, Hawaii won the Little League World 
Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. They overcame a three-run 
deficit to win the world championship by defeating the Curacao team 7-6 
in an extra-inning cliff-hanger.
  It was one of the most exciting championship games in Little League 
history. And I thank many of the Members, Mr. Speaker, who commented 
upon it to me when I returned to the House. They enjoyed it as well.
  The 2005 West Oahu Little League championship team consists of 
players Layson ``Kaeo'' Aliviado, Harrison Kam, Ty Tirpak, Zachary 
Ranit, Ethan Javier, Vonn Fa'eo, Quentin Guuevera, Sheyne Baniaga, 
Michael Memea, Zachary Rosete, Myron ``Kini'' Enos, Jr., Alaka'i 
Aglipay, and Manager Layton Aliviado, dugout coach Tyron Kitashima, and 
first base coach Clint Tirpak.
  In their quest for the championship, the West Oahu Little League team 
demonstrated the highest level of achievement, commitment, self-
discipline, and sportsmanship. Their achievement has generated enormous 
pride in their hometown of Ewa Beach, throughout the State of Hawaii, 
and across the Nation.
  Aloha, and a well-earned congratulations to the world championships: 
the West Oahu Little League team.
  And may I conclude, Mr. Speaker, by thanking the chairman and the 
good representative from New York (Mrs. Maloney) for their help in 
putting this resolution forward and for their support.
  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Hawaii (Mr. Case).
  Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to join the gentleman from 
Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie) in introducing this resolution. I also thank 
our colleagues for bringing it forward on to the floor to give us a 
chance to show our pride in our great Hawaii as well as our country.
  I remember as a young boy being given a book by my parents. It was 
one of those Reader's Digest books of annotated inspirational stories, 
and in that book was a story of an American team who came from great 
odds to win the Little League World championship. I wish I could 
remember today what year that was or what team that was, but never in 
my wildest dreams would I have expected to be standing here on the 
floor of the House congratulating a team from my Hawaii for doing the 
exact same thing so many decades later.
  Anybody that watched this team come through the brackets to win the 
championship of our Nation could not help but have incredible pride at 
their achievements, and anybody that watched that game watched one of 
the great sporting events in history when the team came back from 
incredible odds to tie the score and then go on through fierce 
determination to win the championship of the world, and a team from Ewa 
Beach, Hawaii. Such an amazing, amazing accomplishment for the boys 
from Ewa Beach. And as we watched that game, we saw not only the 
epitome of Little League, not only the epitome of our country, but the 
very epitome of team spirit and team aloha. We saw parents urging that 
team on. We saw willpower. We saw commitment. We saw fire coming out of 
that pitcher's eyes in the bottom of that last inning, and we saw that 
home run being hit off of sheer determination.
  We are so proud in Hawaii of our Ewa Beach World Series champions. We 
are so proud of what we have accomplished. We are so proud to do this 
on behalf of our entire country.
  I wish all of our team the very best as they go forward with their 
lives, having had the experience of their lives. And I wish to this 
House and to the Senate and to this Congress a great gratitude for 
being able to stand here and brag about the great team from Hawaii. 
Mahalo aloha.
  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I do want to just personally, as one who loves baseball, who believes 
that baseball is America's pastime, congratulate this wonderful team 
and all of its supporters in the aloha State for bringing the trophy 
back to the United States of America.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 429 
congratulating the West Oahu Little League baseball team for winning 
the 2005 Little League Baseball World Series. I commend my good friends 
Mr. Abercrombie and Mr. Case for introducing this Resolution.
  The West Oahu Little League baseball team truly deserves the 
accolades this Resolution bestows upon these young boys deserve to be 
recognized for their tremendous accomplishment as the first Little 
League World Series Champions from the state of Hawaii.

[[Page 20817]]

  With one swing of the bat, the simple joy of baseball was transformed 
into a monumental achievement as Michael Memea's home run lifted the 
West Oahu Team to the Little League World Championship title. Now, this 
team is a source of great pride for Hawaii and for all Americans. 
Throughout the Series, people in Hawaii were glued to their television 
sets for news of the progress of the West Oahu team. When the travel-
weary, newly crowned Champions arrived at the airport in Honolulu, they 
were greeted by a crowd of over 700 people, including Governor Lingle, 
Mayor Mufi Hanneman, and the state representatives from Ewa Beach.
  The young men on this team and their coaches deserve the highest 
praise for winning the Little League World Series and I am proud to 
support this Resolution honoring their achievement.
  Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I rise with deep pride today to honor and 
congratulate the West Oahu Little League Baseball Team of Ewe Beach, 
Hawaii for winning the 2005 Little League World Series Championship in 
one of the most exciting championship games ever played, in any sport, 
any league!
  It was almost a miracle that these champions, the very best of our 
Hawaii and country, even made it to the championship, fighting their 
way through some of the toughest brackets and past great teams from 
throughout our nation. And in the bottom of the sixth and last inning, 
down 6-3, their great coach, Layton Aliviado, told them: ``If you guys 
want it, let's go get it.''
  That's exactly what the team did, scoring three runs to tie the game 
and send it into extra innings. Then, in the top of the first extra 
inning, a fiery and determined Vonn Fe'ao shut down opposing Curacao, 
last year's world champs, striking out the batters in order. And in the 
bottom of that inning, Jason Memea blasted a walk-off solo home run to 
win the game and world championship.
  To all the members of our West Oahu team--Alaka'i Aglipay, Layson 
Aliviado, Sheyne Baniaga, Myron ``Kini'' Enos, Vonn Fe'ao, Quentin 
Guevara, Ethan Javier, Harrison Kam, Michael Memea, Zachary Ranit, 
Zachary Rosete, Ty Tirpak--and their coaches--Layton Aliviado, Tyron 
Kitashima and Clint Tirpak--mahalo nui loa--(thank you very much) for 
representing our state of Hawaii and the rest of our Nation with great 
pride and aloha that exemplifies ``one team, one dream.'' You showed 
the heart of champions, epitomizing the best of baseball, sport, our 
Hawaii and the indomitable spirit of our country.
  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as Chair of the Congressional 
Asian Pacific American Caucus in strong support of H. Res. 429, 
introduced by my colleagues from Hawaii, Representatives Abercrombie 
and Case, to congratulate this year's Little League World Series 
Champions.
  On Sunday, August 28, 2005, the West Oahu Little League Baseball team 
was thrust into the international spotlight by winning the Little 
League Baseball World Series. This victory brought enormous pride to 
the United States as well as the Asian and Pacific Islander American 
(APIA) community. In one of the most exciting championship game in 
Little League history, athletes and coaches from Eva Beach, Hawaii, 
primarily of APIA decent, exemplified the American ``can-do-spirit'' 
with a come from behind victory over the equally talented Little League 
team from Curacao.
  For many of the international participants in the Little League World 
Series Championships, this tournament held in Williamsport, 
Pennsylvania is their first trip to the continental United States. This 
was also true for the team from West Oahu. Their dramatic victory is a 
testament to their determination, courage and perseverance.
  Although the championship was ultimately delivered with one dramatic 
swing of the bat, getting to that position results from tremendous 
work, commitment and sacrifices made by players, coaches, volunteers, 
municipal park employees, teachers and most importantly the families of 
the players.
  Mr. Speaker, let us encourage our young champions from Eva Beach to 
keep swinging for the fence, on and off the field and let them be role 
models for all of us.
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 429.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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