SR0778 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0778 LRB097 21531 KXB 69657 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of famed New York Yankees player Bill "Moose" Skowron of Schaumburg, who passed away on April 27, 2012; and

WHEREAS, William Joseph Skowron was born on December 18, 1930, in Chicago; he went to Purdue on a football scholarship and played halfback, punted, and place-kicked; he became a collegiate star in baseball, playing shortstop and pitching; the Yankee organization signed him in 1950 after he won the Big Ten batting championship; and

WHEREAS, He made his Yankee debut in 1954; his best season was 1960, when he hit .309 with 26 home runs, then hit .375 with 2 homers against Pittsburgh in the World Series; playing for the Yankees, the Dodgers, the Washington Senators, the White Sox, and the California Angels, he had 1,566 career hits, 888 runs batted in, and a .282 batting average; and

WHEREAS, He was known for a scowl and a muscular frame that presumably intimidated opposing pitchers, he hit 211 home runs in 14 major league seasons and batted .300 five times as a Yankee; he played for Managers Casey Stengel and Ralph Houk on Yankee teams that won 4 World Series; and

WHEREAS, He was named an All-Star every season from 1957 to 1961 with the Yankees and again in 1965 with the Chicago White Sox; he was at his best in the World Series, hitting 8 home runs and driving in 29 runs in 39 games; in 1956, he hit a grand slam to help propel the Yankees to a Game 7 victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers; in 1958, he drove in the eventual winning run in Game 6 against the Milwaukee Braves, then hit a 3-run homer in the Yankees' Game 7 triumph; and

WHEREAS, After retiring as a player, he held sales and promotional jobs, and he was a community affairs representative for the Chicago White Sox until his passing; and

WHEREAS, Bill "Moose" Skowron is survived by his wife, Lorraine, known as Cookie; his daughter, Lynnette Skowron Morgan; his sons, Steve and Greg; his brother, Edward; and 4 grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family, friends, and New York Yankee fans, the passing of Bill "Moose" Skowron; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Bill "Moose" Skowron as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.