[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 22095]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 290--HONORING THE LIFE AND CAREER OF FORMER SAN 
                 FRANCISCO 49ERS HEAD COACH BILL WALSH

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mrs. Boxer) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 290

       Whereas William Ernest Walsh was born on November 30, 1931, 
     in Fremont, California;
       Whereas Bill Walsh graduated from San Jose State University 
     in 1955 where he was a successful amateur boxer and wide 
     receiver;
       Whereas, in 1955, he married Geri Nadini, with whom he had 
     3 children: Steve, Craig, and Elizabeth;
       Whereas Bill Walsh began his coaching career at Washington 
     High School in Fremont, California, and later served as an 
     assistant coach at the University of California at Berkeley 
     and Stanford University;
       Whereas Bill Walsh served as an assistant coach with the 
     Oakland Raiders in 1966, with the Cincinnati Bengals from 
     1968 to 1975, and with the San Diego Chargers in 1976;
       Whereas Bill Walsh served as head coach of Stanford 
     University from 1977 to 1978 and again from 1992 to 1994, 
     winning the Sun Bowl in 1977, the Bluebonnet Bowl in 1978, 
     and the Blockbuster Bowl in 1992;
       Whereas Bill Walsh became Head Coach of the San Francisco 
     49ers in 1979 and served in that position for 10 years, 
     winning 6 Western Division titles and 3 National Football 
     Conference Championships;
       Whereas Bill Walsh led the 49ers to 3 Super Bowl wins in 
     the 1980s: Super Bowl XVI, Super Bowl XIX, and Super Bowl 
     XXIII;
       Whereas Bill Walsh was the Associated Press and United 
     Press International Coach of the Year in 1981;
       Whereas Bill Walsh ended his professional coaching career 
     with a record of 102 wins, 63 losses, and 1 tie;
       Whereas Bill Walsh was elected to the Pro Football Hall of 
     Fame in 1993;
       Whereas Bill Walsh developed the innovative ``West Coast 
     Offense'', which became widely used by many National Football 
     League (NFL) teams;
       Whereas Bill Walsh drafted and developed a countless number 
     of NFL greats such as Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, Dwight Clark, 
     Steve Young, and Jerry Rice;
       Whereas 14 of the NFL's 32 head coaches have some 
     connection to Bill Walsh;
       Whereas Bill Walsh developed the Minority Coaching 
     Fellowship program to help African American coaches find jobs 
     in the NFL and Division I college football;
       Whereas Bill Walsh and the 49ers brought the people of San 
     Francisco together following some of the most difficult times 
     in the City's history and gave them much pride, joy, and 
     excitement; and
       Whereas Bill Walsh embodied the qualities of hard work, 
     tenacity, dedication, attention to detail, respect, teamwork, 
     and living up to one's potential: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate honors the life of William Ernest 
     Walsh, a pioneer in the field of football, a true leader and 
     teacher, and a dedicated husband, father, and friend.

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