Congressional Record—Senate S6987
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June 27, 2001 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6987 He was instrumental in expanding I ask that my letter be printed in the It is no exaggeration to state that APL from primarily an Asia-America RECORD. the heroes of Tiger Stadium also point- business into a truly global operation. The letter follows: ed us to a better America. By the time He gained a decisive edge on his com- LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF ‘‘THE NEW the prize fighter Joe Louis triumphed petitors by embracing information MEXICAN’’ over Bob Paster in then-Briggs Sta- technology earlier than anyone else in To the Editor: With so many others, I was dium in 1939, he was more than a home- his business. He knew the numbers and saddened earlier this week when word came town hero from the East Side, he was a of the death of Robert McKinney whose metrics of his business better than national hero and a symbol to all peo- anyone. He was rarely at a loss for an American life made him one of the world’s ple of all races. Even today, I almost answer before our committee, and al- distinguished citizens. When he died in New weep thinking of ‘‘Hammerin’ Hank’’ ways worth listening to. York on Sunday night, this man of the American West had forged great successes in Greenberg’s grand slam in 1945 that put And he worked very hard at devel- business, journalism, international diplo- oping one particular line of business— the Tigers in the Series and for what macy, public service and public policy in the that one swing of the bat meant. When the U.S. military—to the point where course of his ninety years. His was the ‘‘life our government is today APL’s largest well lived’’ and much of it was lived in New Nelson Mandela spoke to a massive customer. One of the reasons for that Mexico where he was the deeply respected rally in Tiger Stadium a decade ago, success was his understanding of logis- publisher of this newspaper. his words rung out past the rafters to tics, of managing supply lines, a crit- He was a singular individual with a wide- every American on the endurance and ical skill to the military as well as to ranging mind, vast talents, and varied inter- inspiring power of the human spirit. ests. He brought his considerable energy to APL’s multinational corporate cus- bear on issues from architecture to atomic In this City of Champions, the names tomers. energy, war to peace, land use to poetry. He and feats of champions echo still. Here But without doubt his toughest deci- was most certainly a force for good in this is where the three time NFL champion sion was to negotiate the sale of APL world. I was honored to have the benefit of Detroit Lions played for more than to a non-U.S. buyer, in order to protect his counsel and the gift his friendship. I will all of APL’s stakeholders and to pre- miss him. three decades. Here is where the leg- serve the APL presence and brand. JEFF BINGAMAN, ends of baseball’s Golden Age took to APL was the oldest continuously oper- United States Senator.∑ the field in the unforgettable 1941 All- ating shipping company in America, f Star Game—Bob Feller, Joe DiMaggio, and Ted Williams. Here is where the Ti- and a premier US-flag shipping com- UNVEILING OF TIGER STADIUM pany. He stuck his neck out on that COMMEMORATIVE STAMP gers earned three divisional champion- one, put his reputation on the line, and ships, nine pennants, and those four ∑ negotiated the sale personally—and Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, it is with World Series titles. Here is the where successfully. great pride that I pay tribute to a spe- the Tiger greats were born, the eleven cial place in my hometown of Detroit Tim Rhein understood his business. Hall of Famers: Sparky Anderson, Ty that for the last century has inspired He was a nimble and gutsy decision- Cobb, Mickey Cochrane, Sam Crawford, maker, and we in Washington will miss not only our city but our country. This year we are commemorating the tri- Hank Greenberg, Hugh Jennings, Al his understanding and knowledge as we Kaline, George Kell, Heinie Manush, continue our pursuit of a policy to pro- centennial of the founding of a city that to Americans has long meant Hal Newhouser, and Charlie Gehringer. mote a strong U.S. flag maritime ship- And one more Hall of Famer, broad- ping presence. I hope he will continue great automobiles. To Detroiters, it caster Ernie Harwell, made sure that to avail us of his knowledge and wise also means great sports teams and in- when we couldn’t physically be at counsel. spiring hero-athletes. Indeed, as De- Good luck in your retirement, Tim troit enters its fourth century, our Michigan and Trumbull, the sights and Rhein.∑ pride in our city is equaled by our pride sounds of the ballpark were part of our in the house these heroes built—our lives. f storied Tiger Stadium. This house of heroes may have been DEATH OF ROBERT MCKINNEY Today at home plate, the people of built on the shoulders of giants, but ∑ Detroit will gather to unveil one of Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, ear- someone else sustained it, the fans. If eleven new stamps commemorating lier today I sent a letter to the oldest ever a community has unified around a Baseball’s Legendary Playing Fields. daily newspaper in the West, ‘‘The New place, Detroiters came together at The Mexican’’ regarding the death of its Of those eleven ballparks, only four Corner. In this city of immigrants, at- publisher, Robert McKinney. still stand, and one is right in Detroit, Robert McKinney was well known to where baseball was the pastime at The tending a game there became an Amer- the Senate. His decades of service to Corner of Michigan and Trumbull for ican rite of passage. The language of this country, in one capacity or an- more than a century. Tiger Stadium, as the Detroit News other, and his remarkable career in The history of this stadium is in so once put it, was not Polish or Arme- business and publishing brought him many ways the history of our city. The nian or Ukranian, it was baseball. Gen- into contact with many of us, and with spirit of hard work and determination erations of parents brought their chil- colleagues who have preceded us in this that has always defined Detroit re- dren to those sun-drenched bleachers. body. He and Clinton Anderson, late a vealed itself early. When the Great De- Years later, those grown children Senator for New Mexico, were great pression hit Detroit harder than most brought their own children to Tiger friends, and worked together on the American cities, it was the 1935 World Stadium. I know because like many San Juan-Chama water project for our Champion Tigers—and the renowned Detroiters I still call the old ballpark State. ‘‘G-Men’’: Charlie Gehringer, Goose the place of my youth, a place where Five presidents called on him for Goslin, and Hank Greenberg—who re- our parents took us and where I took service from Harry Truman through newed the hopes of an entire city. De- my daughters and granddaughter. Richard Nixon. He put his prodigious troit would forever after be the City of To this day I remember my father skills to work at various times at the Champions, with four World Series ti- Department of the Interior, the Atomic tles to prove it. leading me through the corridors to see Energy Commission, and the Depart- When the riots and ruin of 1967 left Game 1 of the 1945 World Series. ment of the Treasury. Under President deep scars of division across our city, it Through all my visits back through all Kennedy, he served as our Ambassador was the 1968 World Champion Tigers the years since, I have never forgotten to Switzerland. led by Al Kaline, Willie Horton, Bill the sights, smells and sounds of that He was a fine citizen, and a good Freehan, Denny McLain and Mickey day and the unique character of that friend who will be missed, but whose Lolich who led one of the greatest park. There was the sight of heroes— influence, I know, is ‘‘a widening rip- comebacks in baseball history and who, like Hal Newhouser—who I had only ple, down a long eternity.’’ The world in their unforgettable victory, united imagined while listening to the radio is a better place for his having lived. us to celebrate as one city. and could now virtually reach out and S6988 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 27, 2001 touch. That is, when he wasn’t ob- leant her experience as a cancer sur- zens of New Hampshire and am proud scured by one of the much-beloved vivor in efforts to promote awareness to call her a friend. Her exemplary per- posts that always caused so many of us about the importance of support formance and civic awareness have to strain our necks. There was the groups, and she helped to establish the benefitted the lives of the people of our smell of the popcorn, the peanuts and annual Breast Cancer Conference in State. It is an honor and a privilege to the hot dogs. And there were the unfor- Burlington. These are just a few of the represent her in the Senate.∑ gettable sounds the crack of the bat, lasting contributions that will serve as f and the roar of a hometown crowd.