Congressional Record—House H5351
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July 12, 1999 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE H5351 House, the gentlewoman from Cali- multiple national championships. they made the national championship, fornia (Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD) is recog- Players were celebrities. By the late the NBA playoffs, but the Fort Wayne nized for 5 minutes. 1950's as I was growing up, softball was Coliseum had booked the national Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, no longer as significant, but I remem- bowling tournament so the Pistons I have just returned from a very special ber my dad talking about Leo Luken were booted out of the auditorium and event at the Centers for Disease Con- and Bernie Kampschmidt as if they had to play their games in Indianap- trol and Prevention. Today, the main were Nellie Fox and Ernie Banks, my olis. The next year they moved to De- campus of the CDC was renamed the baseball heroes. troit. Edward R. Roybal CDC Campus, in After having success in softball, in To quote a couple of the long-term honor of my father who served as a 1939 Zollner fielded a team in a Chicago people associated with this, Carl Ben- Member of this Chamber for 30 years. industrial league tournament and nett, who crusaded to get Fred Zollner In addition, he was presented with the never looked back. The Fort Wayne into the Basketball Hall of Fame, said: Champion of Prevention Award, CDC's Zollner Pistons, now known as the De- ``If somebody would have asked me most prestigious award, reserved for troit Pistons, were not Fort Wayne's when I was a kid what I wanted to do individuals who have made significant first pro basketball team. The Fort with my career, I would have told them contributions to public health. Wayne Knights of Columbus, the exactly what I did for Fred Zollner's Quoting CDC Director, Dr. Jeffrey P. Caseys, and the Fort Wayne Hoosiers organization. It was fun and extremely Koplan, ``All his life, no matter where were. And the Fort Wayne General rewarding.'' or at what level he sat, Edward R. Roy- Electrics played in the NBL, the Na- There are two books out. Indiana had bal has made the public's health his tional Basketball League, in 1937. The three of the original members of the personal and professional priority. His Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons left Fort NBA. ``Pioneers of the Hardwood'' re- leadership has prevented the illness Wayne at the end of 1957 but continue fers to that. The other is the Zollner and health of many Americans.'' today as the Detroit Pistons. Piston Story by Roger Nelson. Many of my colleagues who served There were many eventful years in George Yardley, a Hall of Famer, said with my father during his tenure from Fort Wayne. For most of the Fort about Fort Wayne: 1963 to 1993 will recall his zeal and com- Wayne era, the Pistons played at the ``My wife and I didn't know what to mitment to health promotion and dis- North Side High School gym. The en- expect when we got to Fort Wayne. We ease prevention and the very special thusiastic fans and confined quarters had never seen snow before. Major place CDC has in his heart. I hope that gave the Pistons a significant league sports to Fort Wayne was the this and future Congresses will remem- homecourt advantage. Minneapolis Pistons. They were great basketball ber and emulate his belief in protecting Lakers' star Slater Martin was quoted fans. But more importantly, they were the Nation's health and safety through on the courtside seating at North Side: great people. They wanted you to know prevention and applied research and ``I never really saw the fans get phys- that Fort Wayne was a great place to programs. Our whole family is very ical with the players. But I did have live, and they did everything they proud of my father, but none more them pull the hair on my legs.'' could to illustrate that to you. To this Fred Zollner was a key in keeping than my mother who has stood next to day I believe that Fort Wayne has the National Basketball League sol- him through all his accomplishments some of the coldest weather and warm- vent. Carl Bennett, whose personal his- and who through her support made est people in the country.'' tory with the Pistons is so intertwined In Fort Wayne we no longer have the many of those accomplishments pos- with Zollner as to be inseparable, said Pistons basketball team, but we do sible. that Zollner never wanted anyone to have nearly 1,000 Zollner Pistons jobs f know how he kept the leagueÐand pro that are part of the backbone of our basketballÐalive. TRIBUTE TO FRED ZOLLNER, NBA community. We have the pride of hav- PIONEER He was constantly upgrading his team which eventually led to repeat ing been there in the early days of the The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a national titles. The Zollner Pistons NBA, the first meetings occurring in previous order of the House, the gen- were multiple times national cham- Fort Wayne, and now having one of our tleman from Indiana (Mr. SOUDER) is pions. Two of their famous players community leaders being honored by recognized for 5 minutes. were ``Mr. Basketball,'' Bobby his selection into the Basketball Hall Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise McDermott, who had long set shots of Fame. And we still have some of the today to pay tribute to a great Hoosier from past half-court; and Paul ``Curly'' coldest weather and the warmest peo- from Fort Wayne, the late Fred Zoll- Armstrong from Fort Wayne. These are ple in America. ner, who was just selected for the Bas- some of the late 1940s cards that I have I rise today to pay tribute to a great Hoosier ketball Hall of Fame. Too often we for- in my collection. from Fort Wayne, the last Fred Zollner, who get our history. They were also responsible for the in- was just selected for the Basketball Hall of Fred Zollner moved the Zollner Pis- vention of the 24-second clock, because Fame. Too often we forget our history. tons Company from Duluth, Minnesota, George Mikan, who was not only a Fred Zollner moved Zollner Pistons from in 1931 to the east side of Fort Wayne. giant at 6′10′′ but a talented athlete as Duluth, Minnesota in 1931 to the east side of During the 1930s the piston plant dou- well, had this huge height advantage. Fort Wayne. During the 1930s the piston plant bled in size, aided by hefty government They tried a different way to win. In doubled in size, aided by hefty government military contracts because of war prep- Minneapolis, as the crowd hollered, military contracts because of war preparations. arations. they stalled. It remains, and always Sports Illustrated described Zollner this way: Sports Illustrated described Zollner will, as the lowest scoring game in ``He is short and stocky, a dapper man this way: NBA history, 19±18. But the Zollner sporting peak lapels, a silk shirt, a constant ``He is short and stocky, a dapper Pistons won and the league said this tan, and an unruly coiffure that suggests he is man sporting peak lapels, a silk shirt, will never happen again. about to mount a podium and conduct Bee- a constant tan, and an unruly coiffure Fred Zollner, along with Carl Ben- thoven's Ninth. He is the sort who would not that suggests he is about to mount a nett, met then with the people from harm a fly. Rather than swat one, he would podium and conduct Beethoven's the BAA in Fort Wayne and merged the catch a cold holding the door open until the fly Ninth. He is the sort who would not leagues which then became the NBA got ready to leave.'' harm a fly. Rather than swat one, he from the leagues in Fort Wayne. Holiday magazine said: ``Zollner is a soft- would catch a cold holding the door Fred Zollner's vision for Fort Wayne voiced, curly-headed manufacturer, a friendly open until the fly got ready to leave.'' was for the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons man with a taste for expensive, striped suits, In 1938, Mr. Zollner had formed a to be to the NBA what Green Bay was and the engaging knack of making them look company softball team for a local in- to professional football. But, alas, that as if he'd worn them to bed.'' dustrial league. In 1945, the Pistons in- was not to be. Fort Wayne was just too In 1938 Mr. Zollner had formed a company stigated the National Softball League, small. softball team for a local industrial league. In which they hoped would open the way He saw the writing on the wall in the 1945 the Pistons instigated the National Soft- to major league softball. They won mid 1950s, but the final event was when ball League, which they hoped would open the H5352 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE July 12, 1999 way to major league softball. They won mul- was a mixed bag but had four very strong Fred Zollner's organization. It was fun and ex- tiple national championships. Players were ce- teamsÐthe Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, the tremely rewarding.'' lebrities. By the late 50s, as I was growing up, Rochester Royals (later moved to Cincinnati in For basketball buffs, there are two books softball was no longer as significant but I re- Hoosier Oscar Robertson days), George that most of this special order was based member my father talking about Leo Luken Mikan's Minneapolis Lakers (now the Los An- upon.