May 2, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E 927

Donald J. Patlen was a fine all-around player whose career lasted from 1948–1960. He

earned two varsity letters for Passaic High

School, and graduated from Farleigh Dickinson University in 1955 with a degree in Business Administration and six varsity letters: four

in baseball and two in basketball. His career

average at FDU was .350, and he was a Second Team All-East selection.

Donald started playing semi-pro baseball in

Passaic, playing for the Drazins, the Bisons,

the Demuro Comets, and the Uncle Sams, before joining one of the best teams in the North

Jersey League, the Haledon Granetell Giants.

With Donald’s help, the Granetell Giants were

able to win both the North Jersey and the

Essex County League titles in the same year,

and then went on to win the Tournament of

Champions.

After graduation in 1955, Donald signed with

another Giants club, this one of the National

League. He went to spring training in 1956

and played with the likes of Willie McCovey,

Orlando Cepeda, and Juan Marichal. Playing

in Danville, VA, and St. Cloud, MN, Donald

was batting .300 and playing centerfield regularly when he was called upon to serve his

country in the U.S. Army. His time in the service did not stop him from playing ball, however, as Donald joined the Fort Knox, KY, and

Italy baseball teams for the 1956 and 1957

seasons.

After returning home from the Army, he

went to spring training again in 1958, being

assigned to Corpus Christi, TX. Unfortunately,

he was injured 3 weeks into the season and

retired from professional baseball. Donald

played for 2 more years with the semipro Clifton Dodgers, then stopped playing all together. Like Ray Tkacz, Donald is also a

member of the Bergen County Hall of Fame.

Gasper Pellegrino played from 1947 to

1956. A Navy veteran, Gasper attended East

Rutherford High School. After graduating, he

tried to follow in the footsteps of the greats of

his era: DiMaggio, Gehrig, and Ruth. Tryouts

with the New York Giants and the St. Louis

Cardinals proved unsuccessful, but Gasper

continued his career with the Carlstadt Pros,

the Passaic Kenyons, the Garfield Nationals,

the Uncle Sams, and the Passaic Demuro

Comets, helping the Demuro Comets to become one of the best teams of the day. Gasper is a retired letter carrier and lives in West

Paterson, NJ.

Jack ‘‘Rabbit’’ Kelsall was a three-sport star

at Garfield High School. A second baseman

for the baseball team, Jack was the captain

for his senior year, 1948, and was selected to

the All-State, All-Bergen, and All-Passaic Valley Conference first teams. He went on to play

at Stevens Institute of Technology, earning

four varsity letters and again becoming captain

during his senior year of 1952. Upon graduation Jack was offered a professional contract

by the Detroit Tigers, but opted instead for a

career in engineering.

Jack’s semipro baseball career began in

1946 with the Garfield Jewells A.C. From 1946

to 1955, Jack played for the Garfield

Benignos, the Paterson Chevy Red Sox, Passaic Maple Leafs, Bergen Bengals, and the

Garfield Bucs, often played 6 or 7 days a

week for many years. While his love of playing

ball kept him active as a shortstop in a softball

league well into his fifties, Jack is now retired,

living in Matawan, NJ, where he coached Little

League and Babe Ruth teams for 10 years.

Mr. Speaker, each of these individuals,

through their countless and diverse contributions to the game of baseball have enriched

the heritage of our great game not just in Passaic County, but wherever it is played throughout the world. I ask that you and my colleagues join me in honoring these gentlemen

during the 10th annual salute to Passaic

semipro baseball.

TRIBUTE TO SENATOR GONZALO

BARRIENTOS

f

HON. RONALD D. COLEMAN OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, May 2, 1995

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker and Members,

I rise today to pay tribute to my friend and

former colleague from the Texas State Legislature, Senator Gonzalo Barrientos of Travis

County. He will be honored this week at the

Texas State Capitol as Texas Governor for a

Day. This is a ceremonial honor bestowed on

a Texas Senator every 2 years in recognition

for his or her service to the State.

Senator Barrientos represents senatorial

District 14, encompassing parts of Travis and

Hays Counties, which includes the capital of

Austin. He serves as chairman of the committee of the whole senate on legislative and congressional redistricting and a member of the

senate committees on education, finance,

nominations and natural resources. He was

elected as senate president pro tempore for

the current legislative session. He also chairs

the Austin transportation study policy and advisory committee.

Senator Barrientos has always enjoyed and

rightly deserves a reputation as an activist legislator with an impressive record of accomplishments. He is a 20-year veteran of the

State legislature, having served in the Texas

House of Representatives from 1975 to 1985

before his current tenure in the Texas Senate.

Notable among his accomplishments are

legislative initiatives relating to elder abuse

and high school dropouts. He has championed

various issues during his career, including civil

and constitutional rights, consumers and tenants’ rights, environmental protection, benefits

for State employees, efficiency in State government, education reform, health care, affordable housing, and historic preservation.

Prior to his first election, Gonzalo worked as

an organizer for the National Urban League;

as a program officer for VISTA/Peace Corps;

and as a trainer for the Leadership Institute for

Community Development in Washington, DC.

His background with community organizations

has contributed to his sensitivity toward the

disenfranchised and powerless, and reflects

his working class upbringing in central Texas.

He greatly values his Mexican-American

heritage, and uses his position in the Texas

Senate to be an advocate for women, the disabled, and all people of color. His work has

benefited Hispanics across the country.

Senator Barrientos is the recipient of many

awards, including the Texas Public Employees

Association Outstanding Legislator of the

Year; the Texas Outstanding Public Servants

Award; the Texas Association of Community

Development Award of Outstanding Contributor to Community Development, and the Texas

Rehabilitation Association’s Legislative Excellence Award.

He is a graduate of the University of Texas

at Austin. The university continues to be a

major force of his work because it is one of

his largest constituent organizations. He is

proud of his associations with its faculty, students, and the many young people enrolled in

public and private schools in the Austin/San

Marcos area.

Gonzalo is married to Emma Serrato of Galveston, and they are the parents of five children. He is a devoted husband and father,

and is a role model for people across the

State.

I am proud to be among Senator Gonzalo

Barrientos’ many friends. I invite my colleagues in the U.S. Congress to join me in

honoring this true Texas hero.

NATIONAL PROPANE SAFETY

fWEEK

HON. W.J. (BILLY) TAUZIN OF LOUISIANA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, May 2, 1995

Mr. TAUZIN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to

bring to the attention of my colleagues the fact

that for over 70 years, the propane gas industry has been making significant contributions

to American life with remarkable degrees of

dependability, efficiency, and above all safety.

To highlight the industry’s sincere concern

with safety, the National Propane Gas Association sponsors National Propane Safety

Week, which is being held this year from May

1–5. The Safety Awareness Week will include

safety demonstrations and anti-tampering

messages as well as helpful tips on using gas

grills, handling cylinders for recreational vehicles, what to do if a homeowner smells gas,

and how to handle a pilot light that won’t light.

All across the country, manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors regularly help in educating the over 60 million consumers of propane on the sage use of this gas. Consumers

use this common fuel to heat their homes, and

barns, dry their crops, and fuel their vehicles

and machinery. National Propane Safety

Week will play an important role in reinforcing

the safety education of those who already

have access to this pertinent information, as

well as in making it available to those who do

not.

A home safety audit, called Gas Check, is

another initiative strongly recommended by the

National Propane Gas Association throughout

Safety Week. Celebrating its 10th anniversary

this year, Gas Check stresses consumer

education, and after a thorough examination of

operation of propane appliances. This kind of

attention to the safety needs of consumers

should not go unrecognized or unappreciated.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to stress my support for all of the propane dealers in my district who put safety first, and I encourage my

colleagues to do the same. I would also like

to personally commend the National Propane

Gas Association and its constituent dealers for

their efforts to promote public awareness

about propane safety issues through their

sponsorship of and participation in National

Propane Safety Week.