[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 23255-23256]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         CONGRATULATING NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPION HOUSTON ASTROS

  (Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to 
congratulate the Houston Astros, the major league baseball team which 
last night defeated the St. Louis Cardinals to earn the right to go to 
the 2005 World Series. This is the first World Series for the City of 
Houston and the first World Series for the State of Texas. The Astros 
and the Texas Rangers were founded in 1962 and 1961 respectively.
  Also, first congratulating the team for its hard work and dedication, 
I want to express thanks to our owner Drayton McLane, who has been a 
tremendous asset to the City of Houston. It was an honor to work 
closely with him on the Harris County Sports Authority to build what is 
now Minute Maid Park to replace the historic Houston Astrodome.
  I want to salute Tal Smith, who is a great part of the Astros' 
organization since the beginning when they were the Colt 45's. As the 
President of Baseball Operations, he has been an integral part of the 
entire organization.
  The Houston Astros do not have one of the highest payrolls in 
baseball, so the fact that they are now in the World Championship is a 
tribute to our general manager Tim Purpura and also our manager Phil 
``Scrap Iron'' Garner, who actually played for the Astros years ago. It 
is good to have him back home.
  Many of the 2005 National League Champion Houston Astros are products 
of our minor league farm system, not high-priced free agents, including 
the winner of last night's game, Roy Oswalt. The Astros were the best 
team in baseball for the month of July and never looked back. Now they 
are the best team in the National League and look forward to taking on 
the White Sox in the 2005 World Series, Mr. Speaker.
  In addition we have a lot of homegrown talent. Craig Biggio, Jeff 
Bagwell, Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte, again, are some of our great 
players along with the whole team. Again, congratulations, and I yield 
back my time Mr. Speaker.

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