[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12746]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE STICKBALL HALL OF FAME ON THE OCCASION OF THE INDUCTION 
                          OF ITS 2010 HONOREES

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 1, 2010

  Mrs. MALONEY. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the Stickball Hall 
of Fame, an institution that promotes and preserves the great athletic 
tradition of stickball that has been a mainstay of urban life in 
America and has helped countless youths learn about the precepts of 
fair play, teamwork, and the pursuit of excellence. The Stickball Hall 
of Fame has recognized and commemorated a sport which truly represents 
the spirit and innovation that exemplifies New York, our nation's 
greatest city.
  Adapted from and closely linked to our great national pastime of 
baseball, stickball helped transform the urban landscape of 20th 
century America. Since the 1920s, the game of stickball has been an 
important team sport in cities across the country, where it served to 
strengthen personal relationships between families and friends, and 
forged strong bonds within the communities in which it was played.
  In 1968 in New York City, a group known as the 111th Street Old 
Timers was formed. It organized an annual festival centered around the 
game of stickball. In 1999 the group began to focus its efforts on 
reaching out to the kids and seniors within the community. The group 
raised money to send youths to summer camp, established a scholarship 
fund, and distributed toys to children in hospitals. Today we honor 
this organization for its meaningful contributions to the citizens of 
New York City.
  In 2000, the 111th Street Old Timers founded the Stickball Hall of 
Fame in order to recognize the pastime which made these charitable 
works possible. The Hall of Fame is dedicated to preserving the game of 
stickball as well as commemorating great players and community 
activists for whom stickball was a beloved pastime. Annually, four to 
six members recognized for skills both in the game of stickball and for 
their community service are inducted into the Stickball Hall of Fame. 
Additionally, this year, the organization will pay tribute to a great 
player and citizen, Charlie Rivera, founder of the Puerto Rican 
Stickball League, who passed away in May 2010.
  The current president of the Stickball Hall of Fame, Carlos Diaz, 
exemplifies the spirit of selfless service. He has long been devoted to 
community activism, serving on the advisory boards of many important 
institutions, including those of Con Edison and New York Telephone, the 
East Harlem Baseball Federation, and the George Conroy Educational 
Fund. He served as chairman of the East Harlem Council for Community 
Improvement, and founded a group called the Explorer's Program in which 
junior high school students were exposed to careers in healthcare. Last 
month, his years of tireless and effective community service were 
recognized and honored by the Community Advisory Board of Metropolitan 
Hospital.
  Madam Speaker, in recognition of the tremendous contributions made to 
the civic life of our nation by the game of stickball by its most 
skilled players, I request that my distinguished colleagues join me in 
paying tribute to the Stickball Hall of Fame, which has helped preserve 
a great American tradition and is an inspiration to us all.

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