Senator Hunter asked and was granted unanimous consent to make a statement and moved that the statement be printed in the Journal.
The motion prevailed.
Senator Hunter's statement is as follows:
The resolution before us today pays tribute to the late, great Norman "Turkey" Stearnes, one of the best all-around players in the history of baseball. Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Turkey Stearnes started his professional career in 1921 when he joined the Montgomery Gray Socks, a minor league team belonging to the Negro Southern League. After twoyears, he transferred to the Detroit Stars on the Negro National League, where he played for the next eight years of his life. He ended out his career by playing eleven more years for the Kansas City Monarchs, another Negro National League team.
He batted over 403 times and lead the Negro leagues in home runs seven times. He is credited with 183 home runs in his Negro league career, the all-time Negro league record, and 50 more than second-place Mule Suttles. Since Negro league seasons were very short, sometimes lasting fewer than 30 games, it is unknown how many home runs Stearnes would have hit in a 162 game major league season. But had he kept that pace, it is estimated that he would have hit 54home runs in 1924, 97 in 1925, and a staggering 130 home runs in 1928.
At 165 pounds, Stearnes was also a fast base runner, in spite of his awkward running style, hence his nickname "Turkey." He was also one of the best outfielders of his generation. You know, while we pay tribute this morning to Turkey Stearnes, I can't help but be reminded of the time when I was 12 years old playing baseball in the park by my childhood home, when I hit an estimated 473-foot home run that completely cleared the entire field. All of the kids looked in awe as the ball traveled farther than the eye could see. In fact, in the park today, we will see a marker that shows the exact place the ball landed the day that I hit that amazing home run. It reads: "July 4, 1985, the day Tupac A. Hunter hit the longest home run in the history of sandlot baseball." Now, Mr.President, of course, what I just said is entirely a figment of my very vivid imagination, as a young boy at heart who loves the game of baseball and who has a great respect for every player who has made outstanding contributions to this wonderful game, regardless of their ethnicity or race.
In spite of the accomplishments of Mr.Stearnes, he was underappreciated and underpaid. Having to work winters in Detroit's auto plants to survive financially, he worked in an auto factory owned by Mr.Walter Briggs, who was the owner of the Detroit Tigers, a team for which he was not allowed to play because of the color of his skin. Unfortunately, he did not live to see his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000, having died 21 years earlier in Detroit at the age of 78.
We should all be very proud that Norman "Turkey" Stearnes called Detroit, Michigan, his home. I offer this resolution this morning so that Norman "Turkey" Stearnes will be inducted into the Michigan's Sports Hall of Fame, as he is more than worthy. Had Turkey not lived and played in the era that he did, he would have had the full recognition that he deserved.
I hope that my Senate colleagues will join me in offering this chamber's support for Mr.Turkey Stearnes' well-deserved induction into the Michigan's Sports Hall of Fame.