H. Res. 415
In the House of Representatives, U.S.,
October 29, 2003.
Whereas Pro Player Stadium, located in the City of Miami
Gardens and Miami-Dade County, is the home field for
the Florida Marlins;
Whereas Major League Baseball is celebrating the 100th an-
niversary of the World Series this year;
Whereas on October 25, 2003, the Florida Marlins won the
2003 World Series in a six game series;
Whereas by defeating an excellent New York Yankees team—
the American League Champions and the latest team in
a storied franchise which, with 26 World Series victories,
dominated professional baseball’s first 100 years—the
Florida Marlins have captured their second World Series
title in the brief ten year history of the team;
Whereas, during the World Series, Marlins pitcher Josh
Beckett struck out 19 Yankee batters in two games,
maintained a 1.10 earned run average, including a 2–0
shutout during the crucial 6th game, and was named the
2003 World Series Most Valuable Player;
Whereas the Marlins won 91 games during the regular season
to earn a playoff berth by clinching the National League
Wild Card slot;
Whereas the Marlins have never lost a post-season series;
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Whereas the Marlins defeated the Western Division Cham-
pion and defending National League Champion San
Francisco Giants in the National League Divisional Se-
ries;
Whereas the Marlins defeated the Central Division Champion
Chicago Cubs in the National League Championship Se-
ries;
Whereas, during the National League Championship Series,
Marlins catcher Ivan Rodriguez batted .321 with 2 home
runs and ten runs batted in while playing stellar defense,
and was named the 2003 National League Championship
Series Most Valuable Player;
Whereas the Marlins team of skilled players, including Josh
Beckett, Ivan Rodriguez, Juan Pierre, Jeff Conine, Mike
Lowell, Luis Castillo, Alex Gonzalez, Miguel Cabrera,
Derek Lee, Juan Encarnacion, Brad Penny, Carl
Pavano, Mark Redman, Dontrelle Willis, Ugueth Urbina,
Braden Looper, Chad Fox, Michael Tejera, Nate Bump,
Rick Helling, Mike Redmond, Brian Banks, Lenny Har-
ris, Mike Mordecai, Todd Hollandsworth, Armando
Almanza, Toby Borland, Blaine Neal, Kevin Olsen,
Tommy Phelps, Tim Spooneybarger, Justin Wayne,
Ramon Castro, Josh Willingham, Andy Fox, Kevin Hoo-
per, Jesus Medrano, Wilson Valdez, Josh Wilson, Chad
Allen, Chip Ambres, Abraham Nunez, Gerald Williams,
and A.J. Burnett, contributed extraordinary perform-
ances during the regular season, the playoffs, and the
World Series;
Whereas Manager Jack McKeon, who was hired on May 11,
2003, provided strong and wise leadership and bold strat-
egy for a young and resilient baseball team during the
regular season and in the postseason and, in the words
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of one columnist, ‘‘. . . recapture[d] much of what base-
ball once was, how tangy it tasted, what a field of honor
it celebrated and how its central emotion should be joy’’;
Whereas the Marlins coaching and support staff, which in-
cluded Pitching Coach Wayne Rosenthal, Bench Coach
Doug Davis, Hitting Coach Bill Robinson, First Base
and Infield Coach Perry Hill, Third Base Coach Ozzie
Guillen, Bullpen Coaches Pierre Arsenault and Jeff Cox,
Team Physician Dr. Daniel Kanell, Trainer Sean
Cunningham, Assistant Trainer Mike Kozak, Equipment
Manager John Silverman, Assistant Equipment Manager
Mark Brown, Visiting Clubhouse Manager Bryan Green-
berg, Clubhouse Attendant and Umpire’s Room Assistant
Michael Hughes, and Visiting Clubhouse Assistant Mi-
chael King, exhibited exemplary leadership and guidance
to the team;
Whereas Jeffrey Loria purchased the Florida Marlins fran-
chise on February 12, 2002, and stated: ‘‘Our goal is to
restore the organization to championship form.’’;
Whereas Jeffrey Loria, Chairman, CEO, and Managing Gen-
eral Partner of the Florida Marlins, David Samson,
President of the Florida Marlins, and Larry Beinfest,
Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Flor-
ida Marlins, have shown a positive commitment to the
Marlins franchise by successfully acquiring, assembling,
and maintaining a team of high-quality, winning players;
Whereas the dedicated Marlins fans supported their team
with joy and enthusiasm; and
Whereas the Marlins captivated the United States with their
‘‘never-say-die’’ playing style during this historic per-
formance: Now, therefore, be it
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Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) congratulates—
(A) the Florida Marlins for winning the 2003
Major League Baseball World Series championship
and for their outstanding performance during the
2003 Major League Baseball season; and
(B) Florida Marlins pitcher Josh Beckett for
winning the 2003 World Series Most Valuable Play-
er Award;
(2) recognizes and praises the achievements of the
Marlins players, coaches, management, and support staff
whose hard work, dedication, and resiliency proved in-
strumental throughout their World Series Championship
Season;
(3) commends the Florida community and the Mar-
lins fans for their dedication; and
(4) directs the Clerk of the House of Representa-
tives to transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to—
(A) the Marlins players;
(B) Marlins Manager Jack McKeon;
(C) Marlins Chairman, CEO, and Managing
General Partner Jeffrey Loria;
(D) Marlins President David Samson;
(E) Marlins Senior Vice President and General
Manager Larry Beinfest;
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(F) the Marlins Coaches;
(G) The Honorable Shirley Gibson, Mayor of
the City of Miami Gardens, Florida;
(H) The Honorable Manny Diaz, Mayor of the
City of Miami, Florida;
(I) The Honorable Alex Penelas, Mayor of
Miami-Dade County, Florida; and
(J) The Honorable Jeb Bush, Governor of the
State of Florida.
Attest:
Clerk.