[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 18555]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        CONGRATULATING CINCINNATI REDS FIRST BASEMAN JOEY VOTTO

  (Mrs. SCHMIDT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. SCHMIDT. Madam Speaker, today I rise, along with all of 
Cincinnati, to congratulate and celebrate the Cincinnati Reds' first 
baseman Joey Votto being crowned the 2010 National League Most Valuable 
Player.
  Cincinnati has a rich and proud tradition of great baseball teams. It 
is the home of the first professional baseball club, which began in 
1869. The Reds have won five World Series titles, four National League 
pennants, multiple Most Valuable Player trophies, and numerous Golden 
Glove awards. And a number of players have risen to the status to be 
celebrated in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The Cincinnati Reds 
are indeed proud to have the Most Valuable Player, Joey Votto, playing 
for them.
  A native of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Mr. Votto was drafted by the 
Reds just out of high school, in the second round of the amateur draft 
in 2002. He worked his way through the Reds' minor league system and 
debuted in September of 2007. His defensive skills and offensive 
production consistently improved leading up to the 2010 season.
  Joey Votto helped lead the Cincinnati Reds to their first National 
League Central Division Title since 1995 with an impressive .324 
batting average, including 37 home runs, and 113 runs batted in. Mr. 
Votto led the National League in on-base percentage, as well as 
slugging percentage, and receiving 31 of 32 first-place votes by the 
Baseball Writers Association of America to reward his hard work with 
one of the most coveted awards in baseball, the Most Valuable Player 
Trophy. He was named to the National League All Star Team, and won the 
2010 National League Hank Aaron Award.
  Again I would like to join all of the Redlegs Nation in 
congratulating Mr. Votto on his achievement. I want to congratulate the 
owner of the Reds, Mr. Bob Castellini, and his ownership group for 
bringing a winning baseball team back to Cincinnati. Congratulations, 
Joey, and go Reds.

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