Full Text of HR0661 99th General Assembly
HR0661 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives wish to recognize and honor the first | 4 | | responders who 30 years ago gallantly fought the spectacular | 5 | | fire that destroyed Arlington Park Racecourse's clubhouse and | 6 | | grandstand; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Arlington International Racecourse opened in 1927 | 8 | | as "Arlington Park" and was hailed by the Chicago Tribune as | 9 | | "the greatest racecourse in America and one of the greatest in | 10 | | the world", a reputation that still exists today; the current | 11 | | facility reopened in 1989 to reviews as one of the world's | 12 | | finest racing and entertainment venues; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, During the ensuing years, many of racing's biggest | 14 | | and brightest stars competed at Arlington Park, including | 15 | | Armed, Bewitch, Buckpasser, Busher, Candy Spots, Cigar, | 16 | | Citation, Coaltown, Dr. Fager, Equipoise, John Henry, Nashua, | 17 | | Native Dancer, Round Table, Secretariat, Spectacular Bid, | 18 | | Swaps, Tom Rolfe, T. V. Lark, Twilight Tears, and Whirlaway; | 19 | | and | 20 | | WHEREAS, In 1981, Arlington International Racecourse | 21 | | introduced the first million dollar thoroughbred race with the | 22 | | inaugural running of the Arlington Million won by the famous |
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| 1 | | John Henry and ridden by legendary jockey Bill Shoemaker; and | 2 | | WHEREAS, On July 31, 1985, a fire broke out in the historic | 3 | | Post and Paddock Club at the track and soon spread to the | 4 | | entire grandstand and clubhouse; and | 5 | | WHEREAS, 150 firefighters were called to this 5-alarm fire | 6 | | from the fire departments of Arlington Heights and 24 other | 7 | | northwest Illinois communities; and | 8 | | WHEREAS, The fire soon engulfed the entire facility and | 9 | | exceeded the best efforts of the brave men and women to contain | 10 | | it; and | 11 | | WHEREAS, The heroic efforts of these firefighters | 12 | | prevented the loss of any lives; and | 13 | | WHEREAS, During the next 25 days after the fire, Arlington | 14 | | Park's owners, led by Richard L. Duchossois, worked 20 hours | 15 | | per day to clean away the 7,000 tons of steel and 14,000 tons | 16 | | of other debris and erected a tent village along with bleachers | 17 | | to enable the running of the Arlington Million on August 25, | 18 | | 1985; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, The 1985 Arlington Million is known as the | 20 | | "Miracle Million", which was won by a horse from Great Britain |
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| 1 | | named Teleprompter, owned by Lord Derby whose family's name is | 2 | | used for the Kentucky Derby and derbies throughout the world; | 3 | | and
| 4 | | WHEREAS, Arlington Park received the highest honor in | 5 | | racing - the Eclipse Award - in 1985 "in recognition of the | 6 | | indomitable spirit of the officers and staff for a 'Miracle'; | 7 | | Well done"; and
| 8 | | WHEREAS, August 15, 2015 is the 30th Anniversary of the | 9 | | "Miracle Million'; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, On July 31, 2015, Arlington International | 11 | | Racecourse is recognizing these firefighters for their efforts | 12 | | 30 years ago in a special ceremony; therefore, be it
| 13 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 14 | | NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | 15 | | honor the firefighters who fought this fire 30 years ago on | 16 | | July 31, 1985, and the owners and staff of Arlington | 17 | | International Racecourse for the achievement of conducting the | 18 | | Miracle Million on August 25, 1985; and be it further
| 19 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 20 | | presented to the Arlington Heights Fire Department and to | 21 | | Arlington International Racecourse as an expression of our |
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| 1 | | esteem and respect.
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