[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2807]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING KIRBY PUCKETT

  (Mr. GUTKNECHT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, baseball fans everywhere, and in 
Minnesota in particular, mourn the passing of Kirby Puckett. Kirby 
Puckett was born to play baseball. He lived for the game. In an era of 
oversized egos and greed gone mad, he was a throwback to an earlier 
time.
  Kirby was the ultimate underdog. Born to humble beginnings, he 
related to kids that could not afford to buy an autograph. Like a 
bumblebee, he did not know that his stubby body could not fly. 
Propelled only by an infectious enthusiasm, he amazed us with leaping 
catches that mere mortals would have conceded to the bleachers.
  We always knew that with Kirby in the game the underdog Twins always 
had a chance. With his bat, his glove or with his smile, he made 
everyone around him play better.
  He embodied the essence of all that baseball is supposed to be. The 
game will go on, new heroes will emerge, but there will never be 
another Kirby Puckett.

                          ____________________