Full Text of SR0951 95th General Assembly
SR0951 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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| SENATE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | 3 |
| learn of the death of John Karras of Indian Head Park, who | 4 |
| passed away on November 6, 2008; and
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| WHEREAS, John Karras, a schoolboy football phenom known as | 6 |
| the "Argo Express," broke Red Grange's record for single season | 7 |
| rushing touchdowns at the University of Illinois before a brief | 8 |
| stint with the old Chicago Cardinals; and
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| WHEREAS, After his football career at Argo High School in | 10 |
| Summit, Mr. Karras put in 19 months in the United States Army, | 11 |
| serving in Japan during the Allied occupation, before suiting | 12 |
| up for the Fighting Illini; and
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| WHEREAS, Mr. Karras went on to ramble for 2,135 yards | 14 |
| during his playing career, still good enough for 10th on the | 15 |
| school's list of all-time rushing leaders; in 1951, he scored | 16 |
| 12 touchdowns on the ground during the season, tying Grange's | 17 |
| record, then found pay dirt once more during the team's 40-7 | 18 |
| New Year's Day rout of Stanford University in the Rose Bowl; | 19 |
| his 13 total rushing touchdowns was tops for Illinois until | 20 |
| Howard Griffith set a new mark of 15 in 1990; and | 21 |
| WHEREAS, Mr. Karras was a 1951 All America selection; the |
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| 1952 Rose Bowl was seen by a national television audience, and | 2 |
| a TV guide dated December 29, 1951, featured Mr. Karras | 3 |
| bursting through fallen linemen in his No. 48 jersey on its | 4 |
| cover;
Mr. Karras spent one season with the Chicago Cardinals | 5 |
| of the National Football League before an ankle injury ended | 6 |
| his playing career; and
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| WHEREAS, He went on to a long career in real estate; and
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| WHEREAS, Mr. Karras is survived by his wife, Norma; his | 9 |
| three sons, James, John, and William; his daughter, Laura | 10 |
| Hegner; his six grandchildren; and his great-grandchild; | 11 |
| therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL | 13 |
| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with | 14 |
| his family and friends, the passing of John Karras; and be it | 15 |
| further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 17 |
| presented to the family of John Karras as a symbol of our | 18 |
| sincere sympathy.
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