OUNTY OF LLEGHENY C A

RICH FITZGERALD COUNTY EXECUTIVE

Proclamation

WHEREAS, the Connie Hawkins Pro/Am Summer League is a nationally and internationally recognized organization that showcases some of the nation’s greatest legendary players; it was founded in the mid- by William Neal, Jr., CEO of Champion Enterprises; and

WHEREAS, on Thursday, June 20, 2019, three of western Pennsylvania’s greatest basketball players will be inducted into the Connie Hawkins Pro/Am Summer Basketball League as part of the 45th Annual Willie “Pops” Stargell Pittsburgh MVP Awards; and

WHEREAS, Billy Varner played for Valley High School where he was a standout player, leading the Vikings to a 1979 PIAA championship; heavily- recruited, he picked Notre Dame University where he averaged 11 points as a senior and 10 as a junior; after college, he played in the Continental Basketball Association before enjoying a long professional career overseas as part of the European Pro League Belgium; and

WHEREAS, Donald “Pete” Harris played for Braddock High School before heading to Northeastern University; when he graduated in 1982, he was the school’s all-time leading scorer and one of only five New England players to reach 2,000 points playing in 109 straight games and recording double figures in all but three of those contests; Pete was drafted by the and enjoyed a career in the CBA Pro League before joining the federal police in Washington D.C. and becoming a member of the Pentagon’s SWAT; and WHEREAS, born in Lorain, Ohio, Larry Harris was an All-American in both football and basketball at Clearview High School; he headed to Pittsburgh for his college-playing years and is the third-leading scorer in the University of Pittsburgh’s history; in the 1978 NBA Draft, he was selected by the Buffalo Braves in Round 4 with Pick 7 and later signed a multi-year contract with the San Diego Clippers; Larry began his 27-year coaching career at Duquesne University before moving on to several other prominent schools.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and County Council Member DeWitt Walton, congratulate Billy Varner, Pete Harris and Larry Harris on their induction into the Connie Hawkins League and recognize their long, impressive basketball careers.

FURTHERMORE, we, by virtue of the authority vested in us, do hereby proclaim June 21, 2019 as “Connie Hawkins League Day” in Allegheny County.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto set our hand and caused the Seal of the County of Allegheny to be affixed this 20th day of June, 2019.

Rich Fitzgerald DeWitt Walton RICH FITZGERALD DEWITT WALTON COUNTY EXECUTIVE DISTRICT 10 COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER