Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HR0487
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Full Text of HR0487  100th General Assembly

HR0487 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY


  

 


 
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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Jimmy
4Anthony Piersall, who passed away on June 3, 2017; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Jimmy Piersall was born in Waterbury, Connecticut
6to John and Mary (Williams) Piersall on November 14, 1929; he
7was a star basketball and baseball player in high school and
8was signed by the Red Sox in 1948; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Jimmy Piersall broke into Major League Baseball in
101952; he played for 17 seasons with the Red Sox, Indians,
11Senators, Mets, and Angels; he was a two-time All-Star and a
12two-time Gold Glove winner for center field; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Jimmy Piersall was known for clowning around on
14the field, fighting with teammates and opposing players, and
15arguing with umpires, but he was also known as an advocate for
16removing the stigma associated with mental illness; after
17suffering a nervous breakdown in 1952, he entered psychiatric
18treatment; he was always open about what he was going through
19and his journey with what is now known as bipolar disorder
20which was chronicled in The Saturday Evening Post article
21titled "They Call Me Crazy - And I Was!", the precursor to his
221955 book "Fear Strikes Out", which was turned into a film in

 

 

HR0487- 2 -LRB100 13095 MST 27483 r

11957; in 1985, he wrote his memoir, "The Truth Hurts"; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Jimmy Piersall called White Sox games alongside
3Harry Carry from 1977 to 1981; he was also a minor league
4outfield instructor with the Cubs; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Jimmy Piersall is survived by his wife, Janet
6Weber Jones Piersall; nine children from his marriage to Mary
7(Teevan); many grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren;
8therefore, be it
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
10HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
11mourn the passing of Jimmy Anthony Piersall, and extend our
12sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew
13and loved him; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
15presented to the family of Jimmy Piersall as an expression of
16our deepest sympathy.