[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6409]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


              HONORING THE LIFE OF RANDALL ``RANDY'' SMITH

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN B. LARSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 18, 2008

  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay great 
honor to Randall ``Randy'' Smith who passed away on April 14, 2008. A 
longtime sports editor and columnist for Manchester, Connecticut's 
Journal Inquirer, Mr. Smith was a community mainstay and will be sorely 
missed.
  It seemed incomprehensible when I learned of the sudden passing of 
Randy. Manchester and the Journal Inquirer's gift to the world of 
sports journalism had a following far beyond its readership.
  It seems like yesterday we honored him in the Senate Chamber at the 
State Capitol for a record seventh time being named Sportswriter of the 
Year.
  I said at the time he was a combination of Red Smith, Jimmy Breslin, 
and F. Scott Fitzgerald rolled up into a regular guy's man of sports. 
He had great insight into the human condition, the spirit of 
competition and the heart required of its participation. He explained 
his stories in a way that those who regularly assembled at Auggie & 
Ray's or Cavey's appreciated and talked about.
  His column was the column that was the one we talked about, with 
regular favorites like ``Once around the Block'' and ``To You Wanna, 
Bet . . . '' he held you captive. He provided us a credo, not only 
applicable to sports, but to life, a refrain he often used in his 
columns: ``Honor the game and in return the game will honor you.''
  Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring the life 
of Randy Smith. Certainly, we pause today and reflect on his passing 
knowing that he honored his craft, and in return we honor him with a 
final thanks for a job well done. I only hope there's a Saratoga in 
heaven.

                          ____________________