[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 2407-2408]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      BUCK O'NEILL SHOULD BE ADMITTED TO THE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DENNIS MOORE

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 1, 2006

  Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I was sorely disappointed recently 
to learn that the Baseball Hall of Fame failed to vote to induct John 
Jordan ``Buck'' O'Neill into its ranks.
  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 17 spectacular years, 10 as a player and 7 as manager. During this 
time he was named an all-star three times as a player, served 2 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. As 
Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Kay Barnes was quoted as saying in this 
morning's Kansas City Star, ``I'm terribly disappointed. I think it was 
a mistake that he has not been chosen. However, we all love him in 
Kansas City, and I believe that all around the country people recognize 
the contribution he has made to baseball in general and to the Negro 
Baseball League history.''
  Buck O'Neill, you will always be a charter member of the Kansas City 
Hall of Fame.

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