HR 9115

1	House Resolution
2	A resolution honoring and congratulating the 2008 Tampa
3	Bay Rays baseball team on winning their first American
4	League East title and American League Championship Series.
5
6	WHEREAS, the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays team amassed 97 victories,
7	the most games the team had won in its ten-year history, and
8	achieved the first winning season in the team's history, and
9	WHEREAS, in its 2008 awards, the Baseball Writers'
10	Association of America named Tampa Bay Rays' manager, Joe
11	Maddon, American League Manager of the Year and Tampa Bay Rays'
12	third baseman, Evan Longoria, American League Rookie of the
13	Year, and
14	WHEREAS, Tampa Bay Rays' first baseman, Carlos Peña,
15	received the 2008 American League Rawlings Gold Glove Award, and
16	WHEREAS, the Tampa Bay Rays hit the most home runs of any
17	team in its first playoff, and
18	WHEREAS, the Tampa Bay Rays inspired the song "It's All Up
19	To You," which was written and recorded by Kevin Costner's band,
20	Modern West, to honor and support the team, and
21	WHEREAS, the Tampa Bay Rays are active in the community,
22	participating in the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and are a corporate
23	partner with Campbell Park Elementary School, and
24	WHEREAS, Team Manager Joe Maddon personally shopped for,
25	prepared, and served a traditional Italian holiday feast for
26	hundreds of needy citizens at Salvation Army shelters at the
27	third annual Thanksmas, and
28	WHEREAS, after winning their first American League East
29	title, the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the defending World Series
30	Champion Boston Red Sox in the 2008 American League Championship
31	Series, NOW, THEREFORE,
32
33	Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of
34	Florida:
35
36	That the Florida House of Representatives hereby honors and
37	congratulates the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays Baseball Team for winning
38	its first American League Championship and extends best wishes
39	to the Tampa Bay Rays for continued success in the years to
40	come.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.