III 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. CON. RES. 91 

Expressing the sense of Congress that the President should posthumously 

award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Leroy Robert ‘‘Satchel’’ Paige. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 1, 2006 

Mr. NELSON of Florida (for himself, Mr. DEWINE, and Mr. SESSIONS) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of Congress that the President should 

posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom 

to Leroy Robert ‘‘Satchel’’ Paige. 

Whereas Satchel Paige, who was born on July 7, 1906, in 

Mobile, Alabama, lived a life that was marked by his outstanding contributions to the game of baseball; 

Whereas Satchel Paige was a dominating pitcher whose baseball career spanned several decades, from 1927 to 1965; 

Whereas Satchel Paige played in the Negro Leagues and became famous for his unusual pitching style and his ability 

to strike out almost any player he faced; 

Whereas Satchel Paige pitched 62 consecutive scoreless innings in 1933; 


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•SCON 91 IS

Whereas, due to the practice of segregation in baseball, 

Satchel Paige was prohibited for many years from playing baseball at the major league level; 

Whereas Satchel Paige played for many Negro League teams, 

including— 

(1) the Chattanooga Black Lookouts; 

(2) the Birmingham Black Barons; 

(3) the Nashville Elite Giants; 

(4) the Mobile Tigers; 

(5) the Pittsburgh Crawfords; and 

(6) the Kansas City Monarchs; 

Whereas, while pitching for the Kansas City Monarchs, 

Satchel Paige won 4 consecutive league pennants from 

1939 to 1942, and later won a 5th pennant in 1946 with 

that team; 

Whereas, after the desegregation of baseball, Satchel Paige 

signed a contract to pitch for the Cleveland Indians at 

age 42, and soon thereafter became the oldest rookie ever 

to play baseball at the major league level; 

Whereas the extraordinary pitching of Satchel Paige helped 

the Cleveland Indians complete a championship season in 

1948, as the team won the American League Championship and the World Series; 

Whereas Satchel Paige threw an estimated 300 career shutouts; 

Whereas, in 1971, Satchel Paige became the first Negro 

League player to be inducted into the Major League 

Baseball Hall of Fame; 

Whereas the legendary pitching of Satchel Paige earned him 

numerous awards and accolades, including— 


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•SCON 91 IS

(1) a nomination to the All Century Team by Major 

League Baseball as 1 of the greatest players of the 20th 

century; and 

(2) a selection to the 50 Legends of Baseball by the 

Postal Service; 

Whereas, despite years of discrimination that limited the play 

of Satchel Paige to the Negro Leagues, his prowess on 

the pitching mound earned him the respect and admiration of fans and players throughout the world of baseball; 

Whereas Satchel Paige passed away on June 8, 1982; and 

Whereas the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, was established in 1945 

to recognize citizens of the United States who have made 

exceptional contributions to— 

(1) the security or national interests of the United 

States; 

(2) world peace; 

(3) the culture of the United States or the world; or 

(4) the citizens of the United States or the world: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that the 

3 President should award the Presidential Medal of Free4 dom posthumously to Leroy ‘‘Satchel’’ Paige in honor of 

5 his distinguished baseball career and the contributions 

6 that he has made to the improvement of the society of 

7 the United States and the world. 

Æ 


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