[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12193]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO LUIS RODRIGUEZ MAYORAL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSE E. SERRANO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 9, 2005

  Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to 
pay tribute to baseball legend Luis Rodriguez Mayoral. For his 
outstanding service to the game of baseball, the National Puerto Rican 
Day Parade will honor Mr. Mayoral by having him serve as the Puerto 
Rican Grand Marshall for the world-famous parade June 12, 2005 in New 
York City.
  Mayoral has been involved in baseball for over thirty years as a 
scout, manager, journalist and author. Throughout his many years of 
service to the game, he has had a positive and important impact on the 
sport and many of its players.
  Mayoral's resume is long and impressive. He served as a scout for the 
Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago White Sox from 1972 to 1980 and as 
general manager for the Arecibo and San Juan Baseball clubs in Puerto 
Rico from 1983-1985. He has also served as director of Spanish 
broadcasting for the Texas Rangers and as Latin American Liaison for 
the Detroit Tigers. In addition to this experience, Mayoral has been an 
important baseball broadcaster and journalist. He has broadcast over 
2,000 baseball games for CBS, including All-Star and World Series 
games, and served as chief baseball correspondent for Puerto Rico's EI 
Vocero newspaper for 18 years. He also found the time to write five 
books about baseball including a well received biography of the late, 
great Roberto Clemente.
  As a result of his hard work and dedication, Mayoral has received 
numerous honors and awards. He has been honored by the Puerto Rican, 
Mexican and Laredo-Texas Halls of Fame. He was also a guest of 
President George W. Bush in the White House in 2001 and was named 
Puerto Rico's Sports Commentator of the Year.
  Mr. Speaker, as many of my colleagues already know, I have a deep 
love and respect for the game of baseball. It is my belief that it is 
not just a game but an institution that has helped to bridge the gap 
between generations of Americans. As a lover of the game, I have a deep 
respect for all those who have had a hand in building and sustaining 
this uniquely American institution. While the players get all the 
attention, people like Luis Mayoral play a key role in making the game 
what it is by finding the players, bringing the joys of the game to the 
people, and expanding its accessibility. Mayoral's efforts have not 
only helped to bring new talent to the game but also new insight.
  For his many years of service to the game of baseball, I ask my 
colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Mr. Luis Rodriguez Mayoral.