Title: Honoring the life and achievement of John Robert Thompson Jr., the legendary Georgetown University men's basketball coach.
Policy area: Sports and Recreation

Summary:
This resolution (1) honors the life and achievement of John Robert Thompson Jr. and his service as an educator, community leader, and coach; and (2) expresses condolences to his family on his passing.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1177 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1177

  Honoring the life and achievement of John Robert Thompson Jr., the 
        legendary Georgetown University men's basketball coach.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 2, 2020

Ms. Plaskett (for herself, Ms. Norton, Mr. Hoyer, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Ted 
   Lieu of California, Mrs. Murphy of Florida, Mrs. Trahan, and Ms. 
Jayapal) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Honoring the life and achievement of John Robert Thompson Jr., the 
        legendary Georgetown University men's basketball coach.

Whereas John Robert Thompson Jr., was born on September 2, 1941, and raised in 
        Washington, DC, where he was part of the Archbishop Carroll High School 
        men's basketball team, and emerged as an exceptional center, playing in 
        three consecutive city championship games;
Whereas after graduating from Archbishop Carroll High School, Thompson attended 
        Providence College, where he was part of the Providence Friars team that 
        won the National Invitation Tournament Championship in 1963;
Whereas Thompson graduated from Providence College in 1964 as the school's all-
        time leader in points, scoring average and field goal percentage;
Whereas Thompson was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the third round of the 
        National Basketball Association (NBA) draft in 1964, played two seasons 
        with the team, and won an NBA title each season;
Whereas Thompson began his illustrious coaching career as head coach at St. 
        Anthony High School in Washington, DC, from 1966 to 1972, leading the 
        team to a 112-28 overall record in his six seasons as head coach;
Whereas after coaching at St. Anthony High School, Thompson was hired to become 
        the head coach of the men's basketball team at Georgetown University, 
        where he spent the remainder of his hall-of-fame career, from 1972 to 
        1999;
Whereas as head coach of the Georgetown Hoyas, Thompson led the team to 20 
        National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournaments, three 
        semifinals of the NCAA tournament (commonly known as the ``Final 
        Four''), and to victory in 596 games (a 71-percent win percentage), 
        including in the NCAA National Championship in 1984, and six Big East 
        Conference Tournament Championships;
Whereas Thompson became the first African-American head coach to win a major 
        collegiate basketball championship when he led the Georgetown Hoyas to 
        victory in the NCAA National Championship in 1984;
Whereas Thompson achieved success on a global scale as an assistant coach for 
        the gold medal-winning men's basketball team for the United States 
        during the 1976 Olympic Games, and as head coach of the team during the 
        1988 Olympic Games, winning a bronze medal;
Whereas Thompson received the United States Basketball Writers Association's 
        Henry Iba Award in 1982, the Sporting News Men's Basketball Coach of the 
        Year award in 1984, the National Association of Basketball Coaches' 
        Coach of the Year award in 1985, the United Press International Coach of 
        the Year award in 1987, and the Big East Conference Coach of the Year 
        award in each of the years 1980, 1987, and 1992;
Whereas Thompson was inducted into National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame 
        and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame;
Whereas Thompson mentored eight NBA first-round drafted players (including Eric 
        ``Sleepy'' Floyd, Patrick Ewing, Reggie Williams, Dikembe Mutombo, 
        Alonzo Mourning, and Allen Iverson) and 26 NBA players overall;
Whereas Thompson made immeasurable contributions to the game of basketball, 
        which included his posture as an imposing figure on the sidelines, 
        towering over many opposing coaches and players, and was often noticed 
        with his ever-present white towel over his shoulder;
Whereas Thompson kept a deflated basketball in his office to remind his players 
        of the importance of an education and active preparation for life after 
        their athletic career, and that their life has greater meaning than 
        ``nine pounds of air'';
Whereas of the 78 players who played four seasons at Georgetown under Thompson, 
        76 received their degree;
Whereas after retiring from coaching, Thompson remained very connected with the 
        Georgetown men's basketball program while working as a radio and 
        television commentator for professional and college basketball;
Whereas Thompson was an advocate for education and social justice, whose off-
        the-court contribution to such causes are admired and deeply appreciated 
        by many who call the District of Columbia home;
Whereas Thompson's gesture of walking off of the court before the start of 
        Georgetown's victorious game on January 14, 1989, in protest of 
        Proposition 42, an NCAA rule that he found to unfairly disadvantage 
        Black youth, was but one notable instance in a lifetime of speaking out 
        on the importance of equity and fairness in education;
Whereas Thompson established the John Thompson Charitable Foundation in 2000 to 
        help improve the quality of life for underserved children and families 
        within the District of Columbia and other communities;
Whereas Thompson passed away on August 30, 2020, at the age of 78;
Whereas Thompson is survived by his three children, John Thompson III, Ronny 
        Thompson, and Tiffany Thompson, and several grandchildren; and
Whereas Georgetown University, the District of Columbia, and many people in the 
        United States and the world revered Thompson as an icon of the game of 
        basketball and as a mentor to young people: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes and honors the life and achievement of John 
        Robert Thompson Jr., and his service as an educator, community 
        leader, and outstanding coach; and
            (2) expresses condolences to the family of John Robert 
        Thompson Jr., on his passing.
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