III 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 477 

Commemorating the 30th anniversary of the date that Rick Monday heroically 

rescued the American Flag from being desecrated and recognizing Rick 

Monday for his courage and patriotism. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 15, 2006 

Mr. LOTT submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed 

to 

RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 30th anniversary of the date that Rick 

Monday heroically rescued the American Flag from being 

desecrated and recognizing Rick Monday for his courage 

and patriotism. 

Whereas, on April 25, 1976, Rick Monday played centerfield 

for the Chicago Cubs in a game against the Los Angeles 

Dodgers at Dodger Stadium; 

Whereas, during the 4th inning of that game, 2 individuals 

ran onto the outfield of Dodger Stadium, doused an 

American Flag with lighter fluid, and attempted to set 

the Flag on fire; 

Whereas, once Rick Monday recognized that those individuals 

were about to publicly desecrate the American Flag, he 

quickly ran towards those individuals and grabbed the 


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2 

•SRES 477 ATS

American Flag from them just as they were attempting 

to place a lit match on to the Flag; 

Whereas the patriotic act of Rick Monday to rescue the 

American Flag inspired— 

(1) the crowd at Dodger Stadium to stand in ovation 

and spontaneously begin singing ‘‘God Bless America’’; 

(2) millions of citizens throughout the United 

States, especially those citizens who were serving or had 

served in the Armed Forces; and 

(3) citizens of the United States who today continue 

look to the Flag as a symbol of liberty and justice; 

Whereas Rick Monday, after reflecting on his act of rescuing 

the American Flag, said: ‘‘That flag represents all the 

rights and freedoms that we have in this country. If you 

desecrate the flag, you desecrate the efforts of all the 

people who fought and died to protect those rights and 

freedoms.’’; 

Whereas the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame recognizes 

the actions taken by Rick Monday when he saved the 

American Flag as 1 of the 100 Classic Moments in the 

history of baseball; 

Whereas Rick Monday served the United States honorably 

and courageously in the Marine Corps Reserve for over 

6 years; 

Whereas Rick Monday was a 2-time Major League Baseball 

All-Star during his distinguished, 19-year career; and 

Whereas April 25, 2006, marked the 30th anniversary of the 

date that Rick Monday saved the American Flag from 

being desecrated: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 


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•SRES 477 ATS

1 (1) commemorates the 30th anniversary of the 

2 date that Rick Monday heroically rescued the Amer3 ican Flag from being desecrated; 

4 (2) recognizes Rick Monday for— 

5 (A) his courage and patriotism; 

6 (B) upholding the noble ideals and free7 doms represented by the American Flag; and 

8 (C) honoring the men and women whose 

9 sacrifices have protected those ideals and free10 doms; 

11 (3) respectfully requests the Secretary of the 

12 Senate to transmit an enrolled copy of this resolu13 tion to— 

14 (A) Rick Monday; 

15 (B) the National Baseball Hall of Fame 

16 and Museum in Cooperstown, New York; 

17 (C) the Commissioner of Major League 

18 Baseball, Bud Selig; 

19 (D) the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers 

20 owner, Frank McCourt; and 

21 (E) the owner of the Chicago Cubs, the 

22 Tribune Company. 

Æ 


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