HR0523 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0523 LRB097 13486 KXB 58006 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Kirby Puckett, a member of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, was one of the most popular, all-around talented players of the 80s and 90s; he played his entire major-league career for the Minnesota Twins, and he may be the most popular athlete that ever played for the Twins; and

WHEREAS, The center fielder led his team not only with his batting skills, but also through his enthusiasm and effort; his plaque at in the Hall of Fame commemorates his "everpresent smile and infectious exuberance; and

WHEREAS, He was born on the South Side of Chicago in 1960; he was the youngest of 9 children in a small apartment in a housing project; he played baseball as a kid, and after high school he installed carpet at an automotive plant, then attended a baseball tryout camp, where a college coach recruited him; he played for Bradley University and Triton College; and

WHEREAS, The Minnesota Twins selected him in the first round of the 1982 draft, and on May 8, 1984, he played his first major league game for the Twins and had four hits; in 1986, he was named to the American League's all-star team, an honor he received in 10 straight seasons; he helped lead the team to victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1987 World Series; the next year was his personal best: he batted .356 with 24 home runs and 121 runs batted in; in 1989, his .339 batting average won him the league batting title; and

WHEREAS, When the Twins returned to the playoffs in 1991, he led the team to victory in the American League Championship Series and was named the series' Most Valuable Player; in Game 6, he hit a single and a triple, stole a base, and in the third inning, made a leaping catch against the center-field wall to prevent Ron Gant from hitting either a home run or an extra-base hit; then, in the 11th inning, with the score tied, he hit a home run to win the game and tie the series; the Twins went on to beat the Braves, 1-0, in Game 7; and

WHEREAS, Kirby Puckett retired from baseball at the age of 35 and passed away in 2006; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we remember Kirby Puckett and his many contributions to the sport of baseball; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Kirby Puckett as a symbol of our respect and esteem.