| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution honoring the memory of the legendary Al Lopez |
| 3 | and designating April 20, 2006, as "Al Lopez Day" in |
| 4 | Florida. |
| 5 |
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| 6 | WHEREAS, Alfonso Ramon Lopez, also known as Al Lopez or El |
| 7 | Senor, was born in 1908 in Ybor City, now a historic district |
| 8 | within the City of Tampa, began his baseball career with the |
| 9 | Tampa Smokers in 1924, and broke into the major leagues in 1928 |
| 10 | to amass a total of 1,918 games caught, a record he held until |
| 11 | 1987, and |
| 12 | WHEREAS, after becoming manager of the Cleveland Indians in |
| 13 | 1951 and winning 111 games in 1954 for an American League record |
| 14 | that would stand until broken in 1998 by the New York Yankees, |
| 15 | Mr. Lopez moved on in 1957 to manage the Chicago "Go-Go" White |
| 16 | Sox who, under his leadership, never had a losing season, won |
| 17 | the American League pennant in 1959, finished in second place |
| 18 | five times, and never posted fewer than 82 victories, and |
| 19 | WHEREAS, the 1954 Indians and 1959 White Sox teams managed |
| 20 | by Mr. Lopez were the only non-Yankee clubs to win the American |
| 21 | League pennant between 1949 and 1964, and |
| 22 | WHEREAS, Mr. Lopez briefly managed additional games for the |
| 23 | White Sox before retiring in 1969 with 1,410 total wins, ranking |
| 24 | 11th overall at the time and, with the 840 wins with the White |
| 25 | Sox, still ranking 2nd in franchise history, and |
| 26 | WHEREAS, Mr. Lopez was inducted into the Baseball Hall of |
| 27 | Fame as a manager in 1977 and was both its longest-living member |
| 28 | and the last living major leaguer to play in the 1920's, and |
| 29 | WHEREAS, Mr. Lopez died in Tampa on October 30, 2005, at |
| 30 | the age of 97, four days after the White Sox won the World |
| 31 | Series for the first time in 88 years in their first pennant- |
| 32 | winning season since Mr. Lopez led the 1959 team, and |
| 33 | WHEREAS, Mr. Lopez was and remains Tampa's foremost |
| 34 | baseball ambassador, a fact partially attested to by the statue |
| 35 | of him erected by the city in what is now known as Al Lopez Park |
| 36 | and more recently manifested by his having had Spring Training |
| 37 | 2006 in Florida dedicated to his memory, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 38 |
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| 39 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 40 | Florida: |
| 41 |
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| 42 | That the House of Representatives warmly welcomes members |
| 43 | of the Lopez Family as it designates April 20, 2006, as "Al |
| 44 | Lopez Day" in the State of Florida. |
| 45 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be |
| 46 | presented to the family of Al Lopez as a tangible token of the |
| 47 | sentiments expressed herein. |
| 48 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be |
| 49 | presented to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, |
| 50 | for display or other use as it may find appropriate. |