093_HR0550

 
                                     LRB093 14371 HSS 19986 r

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, Ronald Edward Santo was  born  on  February  25,
 3    1940  in Seattle, Washington; he and his wife Vicki have four
 4    children, Ron Jr., Jeff, Linda, and Kelly,  as  well  as  one
 5    grandson, Samuel; and

 6        WHEREAS, At the age of 18, and just prior to signing with
 7    the  Chicago  Cubs,  Ron  Santo  was  diagnosed  with  Type 1
 8    diabetes; nevertheless, he  became  one  of  the  best  third
 9    basemen  in  all  of  Major  League Baseball, playing for the
10    Chicago Cubs from 1960 through 1973 and for the Chicago White
11    Sox in 1974; and

12        WHEREAS, During his career, Ron Santo won  five  Rawlings
13    Gold  Glove  awards, was a nine-time National League All-Star
14    selection, batted .277 during his career with 342  home  runs
15    and  1,331 RBI; he also led the National League in walks four
16    times and in triples once; he hit  337  home  runs  with  the
17    Cubs,  the  third  highest  total  in Cubs history, and ranks
18    among the Cubs' all time top 10  in  games  played,  at-bats,
19    runs  scored, hits, total bases, doubles, RBI, and extra-base
20    hits; and

21        WHEREAS, After retiring from baseball, Ron  Santo  was  a
22    member  of  the inaugural Cubs Walk of Fame Class of 1992 and
23    was selected to the Cubs' All-Century team in 1999; Ron Santo
24    has also been inducted into the Seattle  Hall  of  Fame,  the
25    Italian Hall of Fame, and the Chicago Sports Hall of Fame; in
26    addition,  Ron  Santo  has been a WGN Radio color commentator
27    for the Cubs since 1990, just completing his 14th season; and

28        WHEREAS, Ron Santo's extraordinary accomplishments extend
29    far beyond baseball; in addition to his duties as  a  Chicago
30    Cubs  commentator,  Ron  Santo  has  been  involved  with the
31    Juvenile Diabetes Research  Foundation  since  1974,  and  is
32    currently a member of the Foundation's Board of Directors; he
 
                            -2-      LRB093 14371 HSS 19986 r
 1    has  personally known the hardships that diabetes can have on
 2    an individual, having both  of  his  legs  amputated  due  to
 3    complications  with diabetes; through Ron Santo's involvement
 4    with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, together they
 5    have raised over $54 million for diabetes research;   he  was
 6    also  instrumental  in helping the Juvenile Diabetes Research
 7    Foundation form a partnership with  charitable  organizations
 8    Cubs  Care  and  WGN Radio 720 Neediest Kids Fund in order to
 9    raise more money for those organizations,  as  well  as  more
10    money for the Foundation for additional diabetes research; in
11    2002,  he   was  the  Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's
12    Person of the Year; and

13        WHEREAS,   In   recognition   of   his   greatness    and
14    accomplishments,  both on and off the field, on September 28,
15    2003, the  Chicago  Cubs  organization  retired  Ron  Santo's
16    number,  #10,  in honor of all that Ron Santo has achieved in
17    his life; Ron Santo became only  the  third  player  in  Cubs
18    history  to  have  his  number  retired  by the Chicago Cubs,
19    joining  Ernie  Banks  (#14)  and   Billy   Williams   (#26);
20    therefore, be it

21        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
22    NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,  that
23    because  of  all  Ron  Santo  has accomplished throughout his
24    life, and because Ron  Santo's  name  will  be  eligible  for
25    election  by  the new Veterans Committee of the Baseball Hall
26    of Fame,  we,  along  with  the  entire  State  of  Illinois,
27    strongly urge the Veterans Committee to consider electing Ron
28    Santo to the Baseball Hall of Fame; and be it further

29        RESOLVED,  That  a  suitable  copy  of this resolution be
30    presented to the Veterans Committee of the Baseball  Hall  of
31    Fame;  and  that  a  suitable  copy  of  this  resolution  be
32    presented  to  Mr.  Santo  as  an  expression  of our sincere
33    respect and esteem.