[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 22]
[Senate]
[Pages 30897-30898]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      RECOGNIZING JACOBY ELLSBURY

 Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, today, on behalf of all Oregonians, 
I recognize the recent accomplishments of Madras, Oregon's own Jacoby 
Ellsbury of the World Champion Boston Red Sox.
  As a child growing up, I followed the Boston Red Sox closer than any 
other team. I recall my father telling me stories of the four west 
coast boys who were members of the Boston Red Sox in the 1940s. He told 
me about how they put their baseball careers on hold to defend our 
Nation at war. Two of those west coast boys, Johnny Pesky and Hall of 
Famer Bobby Doerr, had connections to Oregon and the Pacific Coast 
League. The story of these four young men from the west coast who 
became members of the Boston Red Sox was highlighted in the late David 
Halberstam's book ``The Teammates--A Portrait of Friendship.'' For the 
four friends, Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Johnny Pesky and Dominic 
DiMaggio, it was about more than baseball. Their story is about the 
American dream and the bonds of friendship.
  I recall Williams, Pesky, Doerr, and DiMaggio when I see Jacoby 
Ellsbury on the field with his teammates: Dustin Pedroia and Jon 
Lester. Dustin, the Red Sox second baseman, hails from California and 
Arizona State University and pitcher Jon Lester grew up in Tacoma, WA. 
Jacoby hails from the small town of Madras, OR, in the central part of 
the State and was a first team All-American at Oregon State University 
in 2005 when he led his team to the College World Series for the first 
time since 1952. Jacoby's career has blossomed on and off the field 
since joining the Boston Red Sox organization, and he is considered by 
many to be one of the game's future superstars.
  Jacoby exhibits many of the qualities a young man should emulate. It 
is apparent that his work ethic, sportsmanship, and dedication to the 
game he loves have propelled him to the top of the baseball world. I 
praise his Mom and Dad, Margie and Jim, for a job well done. Oregonians 
and the Red Sox Nation are very proud of Jacoby Ellsbury.
  Finally, I wish to note how proud I am to recognize Jacoby, not only 
as an American and an Oregonian representing the Boston Red Sox so 
proudly, but I am equally proud to recognize him as a man of Native 
American descent, particularly the first of Navajo descent to play in 
the Major Leagues. The members of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm 
Springs in Oregon should be extremely proud of Jacoby.
  I congratulate Jacoby Ellsbury and his teammates on winning the 2007 
World Series and wish him the best of luck as he continues his 
professional career in Boston.

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