[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1990]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO JOHN JORDAN ``BUCK'' O'NEIL

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                           HON. DENNIS MOORE

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 9, 2005

  Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to John 
Jordan ``Buck'' O'Neil, to whom I recently presented the Blue Valley 
Education Foundation's Good Neighbor Award. It was a pleasure to 
present Buck with this notable distinction. You see, Buck has always 
been one of my great heroes, and there is no question that his story of 
courage and perseverance has served as an inspiration to many people.
  Born the grandson of slaves, Buck joined the Kansas City Monarchs of 
the Negro League in 1938. He remained in Kansas City with the Monarchs 
for seventeen spectacular years, ten as a player and seven as manager. 
During this time he was named an all-star three times as a player, 
served two years with the United States Navy, and led the Monarchs to 
four league titles as a manager, all the while facing the harshness of 
separation and discrimination in a country that was still segregated. 
In 1962, Buck broke an important barrier, by being named the first 
African-American coach in the Major Leagues by the Chicago Cubs. After 
33 years with the Cubs, Buck returned home in 1988 to scout for the 
Kansas City Royals. He currently serves as chairman of the Negro 
Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, a continuing demonstration of 
his love for the game of baseball and for his commitment to the 
essential role that the Negro Leagues played in the integration of both 
American sport and American society.
  During his time in Kansas City, Buck has taught the citizens of the 
Kansas City metropolitan region about the importance of determination 
and resolve in the face of hostility, in addition to showing us the 
importance of family, friendship, happiness and history. Buck taught us 
about baseball. But more importantly, Buck taught us about life. He is 
a wonderful role model, and I thank him for his contributions to the 
Kansas City metropolitan region and to our United States of America.

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