As many of you know, I was a member of the original fact-finding team that developed the research agenda for the new office. Over the past years, Dr. Ruffin and his outstanding staff have more than kept that pledge. For a decade, the Office of Research on Minority Health has kept its promise by working with its partners at NIH to ensure that we do not remain two nations-separate and unequal in overall health. Along with the National Cancer Institute, it's working to establish partnerships between our nation's premier cancer centers and minority medical schools. So we have much to celebrate on this tenth anniversary.
Today also happens to mark another anniversary.
I can't imagine any game better suited to our national character than our national past time. In baseball, no shot clock or penalty clock or game clock influences victory or defeat. Baseball is built on the premise of equality. Of course, equality isn't only the hallmark of America's favorite sport-it's also the benchmark of America itself. Unfortunately, it's a benchmark that we haven't always met-especially in the area of minority health.