[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 14524]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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   SENATE RESOLUTION 533--COMMEMORATING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
 PERMANENT INTEGRATION OF PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL BY 4 PIONEERING PLAYERS

  Mr. VOINOVICH (for himself, Mr. DeWine, and Mr. Allen) submitted the 
following resolution, which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 533

       Whereas the integration of sports supported other ongoing 
     efforts to permanently end racial segregation as an accepted 
     practice in the United States;
       Whereas, in 1946, 4 African-American football players, 
     William ``Bill'' K. Willis and Marion Motley, who played for 
     the Cleveland Browns, and Kenny Washington and Woody Strode, 
     who played for the Los Angeles Rams, all signed contracts to 
     play professional football;
       Whereas, on August 7, 1946, Bill Willis was the first of 
     this pioneering foursome to sign a contract to play 
     professional football for the Cleveland Browns forever ending 
     the race barrier in professional football, 1 full year before 
     Jackie Robinson broke the race barrier in professional 
     baseball;
       Whereas, thanks to the significant contributions of Bill 
     Willis and Marion Motley, the Cleveland Browns won the 
     National Football League (NFL) Championship in 1950 which was 
     the first year the Cleveland Browns played in the NFL;
       Whereas, in addition to permanently ending the race barrier 
     in professional football, Bill Willis and Marion Motley were 
     recognized for their outstanding professional football 
     careers by their election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame; 
     and
       Whereas 2006 marks the 60th anniversary of the permanent 
     integration of professional football, and the NFL will 
     commemorate this milestone during the 2006 Pro Football Hall 
     of Fame Game: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the 60th anniversary of the permanent 
     integration of professional football; and
       (2) respectfully requests the Secretary of the Senate to 
     transmit for appropriate display an enrolled copy of this 
     resolution to--
       (A) the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio; and
       (B) William K. Willis, the only surviving member of the 
     pioneering foursome who permanently ended the race barrier in 
     professional football.

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