[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11612]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       CONGRATULATING THE NAPER-
           VILLE BASEBALL ASSOCIATION ON ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JUDY BIGGERT

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 26, 2005

  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 
Naperville Baseball Association on its 50th anniversary and to thank 
its members for their enduring commitment to youth athletics throughout 
the Naperville community.
  The Naperville Baseball Association is an institution that, for a 
half-century, has provided local children with a fun, safe way to play 
organized baseball. The association will be honored as part of 
``Naperville Baseball Day'' on June 3, celebrating ``baseball at its 
best for the past 50 years.''
  As a mother and a grandmother, I fondly recall my days of shepherding 
kids to and from various youth sporting events in my station wagon. As 
a former youth soccer coach, I remember trying to balance winning while 
ensuring that all the kids got a chance to play and have fun.
  Each year as spring rolls around, kids across America grow excited 
with anticipation for baseball season. They come to the field hoping to 
emulate their big league idols, while their parents line the stands, 
anxious to see their son morph into the next Mickey Mantle or Ernie 
Banks, slamming the ball out of the park. After games, parents and 
kids, coaches and teammates, all congratulate one another and often 
celebrate over pizza or heaping scoops of ice cream. Mr. Speaker, this 
is youth baseball at its very best.
  As our national pastime, baseball holds a special place in the hearts 
of so many Americans. For generations, families have bonded over hot 
dogs and Cracker Jack at Wrigley Field, Comiskey Park, and other 
legendary cathedrals of summer. But as vital as these familial baseball 
bonds are to encouraging a love of the game, organized baseball also 
remains an excellent resource for teaching invaluable life skills like 
teamwork, friendship, and sportsmanship.
  The Naperville Baseball Association has promoted this vision of pure, 
timeless baseball for more than 50,000 children over its 50-year 
history. I am proud to add my voice to the many who wish to say thanks, 
and I am confident they will keep up the good work for at least another 
50 years.

                          ____________________