IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 918 

Recognizing the 60th Anniversary of Chuck Bednarik’s debut in the National 

Football League and the contributions of all Slovak-Americans. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 

Mr. SESTAK (for himself, Mr. DENT, Mr. GERLACH, and Mr. DOYLE) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Oversight and Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 60th Anniversary of Chuck Bednarik’s debut 

in the National Football League and the contributions 

of all Slovak-Americans. 

Whereas there are approximately 1.9 million Americans of 

Slovak descent; 

Whereas Chuck Bednarik’s home state of Pennsylvania is 

home to over 245,000 persons of Slovak descent and the 

Greater Pittsburgh region has more individuals of Slovak 

heritage than any city in the world outside of Slovakia; 

Whereas the 2009–2010 season marks the 60th Anniversary 

of Chuck Bednarik’s debut in the National Football 

League; 

Whereas Chuck Bednarik is one of the greatest Slovak-American athletes and greatest football players of all-time, 


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•HRES 918 IH 

winning the distinguished Maxwell Award as the nation’s 

best college football player in 1948, and was inducted 

into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967; 

Whereas Chuck Bednarik was the son of Slovak immigrants 

who settled in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and worked at 

Bethlehem Steel; 

Whereas Chuck Bednarik served his country bravely as a B– 

24 Waist Gunner in the United States Army Air Force 

during World War II; 

Whereas Chuck Bednarik flew more than 30 combat missions 

as a member of the Eighth Air Force; 

Whereas Chuck Bednarik attended the University of Pennsylvania on the G.I. Bill and was a 3-time All-American; 

Whereas Chuck Bednarik played a distinguished 14-year career in the National Football League as a member of the 

Philadelphia Eagles, earning him the nickname ‘‘Concrete Charlie’’, and was the last great ‘‘60-minute Man’’ 

in the National Football League, playing on both offense 

and defense; 

Whereas Chuck Bednarik led the Philadelphia Eagles to 2 

National Football League Championships, making a 

game-saving tackle to secure victory in the 1960 NFL 

Championship Game; 

Whereas Chuck Bednarik was selected to 8 Pro Bowls and 

was 10 times a National Football League All-Pro selection; and 

Whereas the Slovak-American community has contributed 

greatly to this Nation, with other notable Americans of 

Slovak descent including Tom Ridge (former Governor of 

Pennsylvania and this country’s first Secretary of Homeland Security), John D. Hertz (businessman and philanVerDate Nov 24 2008 23:35 Nov 18, 2009 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR918.IH HR918

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•HRES 918 IH 

thropist), Andy Warhol (artist), Stefan Banic (inventor 

of the parachute), Jozef Murgas (inventor of the radio), 

Paul Newman (actor and philanthropist), Michael Strank 

(one of those who raised the American flag over Iwo 

Jima), and Peter Lorre (actor): Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives recog2 nizes the 60th Anniversary of Chuck Bednarik’s debut in 

3 the National Football league and the contributions of all 

4 Slovak-Americans. 

Æ 


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