E1788 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks September 23, 1998 Army Engineer Battalions at Ft. Belvoir, VA; ernment. Azerbaijan has received over $130 done most of his work in a non-visual me- Fort Campbell, KY; and Fort. Benning, GA. He million in United States humanitarian aid since dium, he is instantly recognizable behind his was also with the 5th Special Forces Group at 1992, and will continue to do so; however, it distinctive handlebar mustache and beard. Fort Campbell where he served as Group En- is essential that we maintain Section 907 as a King's voice is not the traditional baritone of those born-to-be-broadcasters. His stac- gineer. In addition to these assignments to matter of United States foreign policy in the cato delivery and ability to summon an evoc- troop units, Colonel Davis has served as a region. ative description for the big moments trig- Project Officer in the Pentagon and was a The Government of Azerbaijan has re- ger memory, emotion and goose bumps. U.S. Exchange Officer to the Australian stricted the transport of food, fuel, medicine, Like in 1970 when he called a game-winning School of Military Engineering in Sydney. He and other essential supplies to Armenia and 51-yard field goal by George Blanda against also participated in Operation Desert Shield Nagorno-Karabagh. Even after the devastating Cleveland and declared Blanda had just been and Operation Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia earthquakes in 1994, Azerbaijan failed to take elected ``King of the World.'' Or in 1977 when and Kuwait and in Operations Restore Hope any measures aimed at easing these block- King called ``The Ghost to the Post,'' Dave and Continue Hope in Somalia. He also took ades. Section 907 has not even stopped Casper's touchdown catch that gave the Raiders a playoff win in Baltimore. Or his part in the Hurricane Andrew Relief Oper- United States oil companies from sharing in 1978 call of the ``Holy Roller'' game-winning ations in Florida. the wealth of Azerbaijan oil resources. fumble recovery in San Diego, when he inter- Colonel Davis is the recipient of numerous The decision to lift Section 907 is left in the preted an official ordering coach John Mad- commendations and decorations including the hands of the Government of Azerbaijan. When den to ``get his big butt out of here.'' Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Serv- they begin to take the necessary steps toward King's calls of the Warriors' 1975 NBA ice Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, lifting their destructive blockades of Armenia championship sweep of the Washington Bul- and the Southwest Asia Service Medal with and Nagorno-Karabagh, then and only then lets and the A's 1989 World Series sweep of three campaign stars. He has also earned the should the repeal of Section 907 be consid- the Giants remain etched in the minds of lis- Parachutist and Air Assault Badges. ered. teners. As does his signature call ``Holy To- ledo'' each time he sees something that I especially want to thank Colonel Davis for f needs extra emphasis. his tremendous assistance with the Santa Ana IN HONOR OF THE KING OF ``It is always nice when people have good Mainstem flood control project including the responses to youÐit's a lot better than the Seven Oaks Dam and San Timoteo elements. SPORTS BROADCASTING alternative,'' King said. `You don't want This effort, which is nearing completion, will them saying, ``Get that idiot off the air' '' result in flood protection for millions of citizens HON. GEORGE MILLER Beyond that, King is reluctant to dig deep- and billions of dollars of personal property in OF CALIFORNIA ly into the reasons for his success and lon- gevity. He has been working for a half-cen- San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange Coun- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ties in California. tury, having called his first minor-league Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me and our Wednesday, September 23, 1998 baseball game in Peoria, Ill., in 1948 at age 19. Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, as colleagues in recognizing the talents and re- ``I am not a terribly introspective person,'' markable skills of Colonel Davis as he pre- the baseball season comes to an end with all King said. ``I don't do a lot of examining pares to take on the position of Chief of Staff of its excitement of the homerun derby and about why this or why that or why I feel this of Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. I would the incredible performance of the New York way or that way.'' also like to express our appreciation to his Yankees, we in the San Francisco Bay Area SMALL-TOWN SIMPLICITY wife Barbara and their two children, Kimberly have something else to celebrate and that is King is a man of simple idealsÐthe only Anne and John. For his many years of service the remarkable career of sports announcer Bill evidence of his small-town Illinois upbring- and dedication, I believe it is only appropriate King who has been the voice of the Oakland ingÐeclectic interests and a limitless pas- that the House recognize Colonel Davis today. A's, The Oakland Raiders, and the Golden sion for painting a visual picture. f State Warriors. ``I love being on the air, I really do,'' King Bill King has been calling games for forty said. ``I am a verbal person. I get a tactile FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT years and providing so many days of enjoy- feeling on my tongue. To not be able to ver- FINANCING, AND RELATED PRO- ment for the fans. His calls are a major part balize is almost crippling to me. Some people GRAMS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, of the legends of American sports broadcast- would probably say `I know, you never 1999 ing. stop.' '' King shows no sign of stopping. He contin- Mr. Speaker, I have had the privilege the SPEECH OF ues to work full-time at a time when popular past few years to spend time with Bill King in Bay Area contemporaries like Lon Simmons HON. CHARLES E. SCHUMER social settings. It is a wonderful evening to ex- and Hank Greenwald have cut back or re- OF NEW YORK perience and enjoy his stories, his understand- tired altogether. King just signed a new IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ing of sports in America, as his desire to talk three-year contract with the A's that keeps sports, art, history and politics. him as the team's radio voice through the Thursday, September 17, 1998 Recently, the San Francisco Examiner ran 2001 season. He keeps working simply because, he says, The House in Committee of the Whole an article celebrating Bill King's Career in the ``There's no reason not to. I like what I'm House on the State of the Union had under San Francisco Bay Area. I would like to share doing. I get paid well for doing it and I can't consideration the bill (H.R. 4569) making ap- it with my colleagues. The article follows: think of anything that would be more desir- propriations for foreign operations, export fi- able at this point.'' nancing, and related programs for the fiscal [From the San Francisco Examiner, Aug. 23, year ending September 30, 1999, and for other 1998] He admits there no longer is time to do purposes: BILL KING HAS BEEN THE DISTINCTIVE VOICE some of the things he loves, like sailing and OF BAY AREA SPORTS FOR 40 YEARS traveling to places that don't have a baseball Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today diamond within 50 miles. The commute to (By Michelle Smith) to join my colleagues in strong support of the ballpark from Sausalito sometimes takes maintaining Section 907 of the Freedom Sup- Bill King came to the Bay Area 40 years twice as long as it used to, and the prepara- port Act in the Foreign Operations Appropria- ago, without a beard or a legacy. Both have tionÐwhich has been a source of equal parts long since been firmly established. tions for Fiscal Year 1999. Section 907 was pride and obsession for KingÐis not nearly King, however, does not do legacy, the as straight-forward as it used to be, given enacted in 1992 in response to Azerbaijan's il- same way he doesn't do shoes and socks, legal blockades of Armenia and Nagorno- the vast amounts of information now avail- fancy cars or pants in the booth on a hot able. Karabagh, and it remains a vital tool in United summer day. King estimates he spends three hours a day States policy towards the Caucasus. He chooses to let his career speak for preparing for a broadcast. ``I can't imagine Section 907 does not prohibit humanitarian itself, and so it does. what it would be like to be on the computer. aid, democracy building assistance, commer- In his years as the radio play-by-play voice I won't do it.'' cial assistance to United States businesses, or of the A's, Warriors and Raiders, King has been the consummate messenger. UNIQUE PHONE SYSTEM non-proliferation and disarmament assistance He has delivered some of the most memo- For many years in the 1960's, when King to Azerbaijan. It merely restricts direct govern- rable moments in local sports history with a was doing both Warriors and Raiders games, ment to government economic and military as- style and conviction that earned him univer- he did not have a telephone in his home. A sistance to a regime known for their human sal respect among his peers.