S6670 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 21, 1996 ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS as a part of history, but as a community. The post supports sports monument to Tennessee’s volunteer spirit. teams, donates food to the needy, and This year, when so much history is being sponsors a program where boys travel DEDICATION OF THE PENCE RE- made in Washington, when we are struggling to restore our Nation to the kind of land en- to Lansing for a week to learn how our CEPTION CENTER AND GIFT State capitol works. I know that my SHOP visioned by our Founding Fathers—a land where taxes are low and government is lim- Senate colleagues join me in hon- ∑ Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, on Sun- ited, where states have rights, and people oring the Martinez-Garcia-Nerio-Reyes day, June 9, as part of Tennessee’s have power—I can’t help but appreciate even American Legion Post 500 on its 50th year-long bicentennial celebration, I more the rich history of our State and the anniversary.∑ traveled to Kingsport, TN, to deliver contributions it has made to our national f remarks at the dedication of the Pence heritage. Reception Center and Gift Shop, a part Think about it—right here in this place SALUTE TO IOWA GIRLS’ three Presidents of the of Netherland Inn complex. I ask that BASKETBALL stopped frequently on their trips to and from ∑ my remarks be printed in the RECORD. Washington—, Andrew John- Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, The remarks follow: son, and James K. Polk. every year in March, the State of Iowa DEDICATION OF THE PENCE RECEPTION CENTER And on a personal note, as a native comes to a virtual halt. Streets are AND GIFT SHOP, KINGSPORT, TN Nashvillian, I am personally indebted to Col. quiet, schools are dismissed, and small It’s always great to be home in Tennessee, John Donelson because if he hadn’t taken his towns are all but deserted. It is not but it’s even more wonderful when being flotilla of flatboats from Kingsport to Big some end-of-winter blizzard that clears here gives me the opportunity to help cele- Salt Lick, my home town of Nashville might the streets and shuts down commu- brate Tennessee history, and pay tribute to never have been founded—and who knows nities. It is the annual pilgrimage to where I would have been born! Tennessee volunteers. And what could be Veterans’ Auditorium in Des Moines more appropriate—in this place that was Tennessee has a proud history to look back once a favorite stop on the Old Great Stage on. But let’s not forget that we also have a for the Girls’ State Basketball Tour- Road from Washington City to Nashboro— bright future before us. The volunteers of nament. than that I should also travel from Wash- Tennessee are no longer living on the fron- Some States have a such strong tra- ington to be here with you today. tier, but their pioneering minds and spirits dition in high school athletics that cer- Two hundred years ago, our pioneer fore- continue to drive them toward success. When tain sports become part of the State’s fathers banded together to forge a new fu- our descendants celebrate the next hundred identity. Like boys’ basketball in Indi- ture for the Southwest Territory. Like the years of Tennessee history, I know that they ana and football in Texas, girls’ bas- path to the West, the road to Statehood was will be just as proud of their ancestors as we replete with obstacles—from land disputes are of ours today. ketball has been a key factor in shap- with to Party disputes that Thank you all for coming. God bless you, ing the identity of Iowa. The enthu- held the territory’s Statehood petition hos- and God bless the great State of Tennessee!∑ siasm with which Iowans follow their tage to Presidential politics. But the spirit f girls’ high school basketball teams is a of Tennessee’s founding fathers prevailed, testament to Iowa’s competitive and and on June 1, 1796 Tennessee became the MARTINEZ-GARCIA-NERIO-REYES community spirits. 16th state in the Union. AMERICAN LEGION POST 500 Iowa was a pioneer in the growth of One hundred years ago, our Centennial ∑ Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, on June girls’ basketball. Today’s players owe a celebration highlighted that pioneer spirit for Tennesseans—and for all the world. 29, 1996, American Legion Post 500 will great deal to those early players and Today, with ongoing Bicentennial celebra- celebrate its 50th anniversary. In No- teams for the survival and development tions like this one in every city and county, vember 1945, after returning from serv- of the girls’ game. Iowa girls started that legacy is being carried forth—not just ice in World War II, Mexican-American playing basketball in 1893, just 18 to another generation and into another cen- veterans in the Saginaw area began months after Dr. James Naismith cre- tury, but into the next millennium! What a meeting to exchange stories of their ated the game. Girls’ basketball gained proud heritage to pass along. experiences during combat. These vet- rapid approval from Iowans. By the Over the past 100 years, we’ve watched this area change from one that was almost en- erans decided to organize and were turn of the century, basketball was the tirely agricultural to one with modern cities later recognized as the Latin American most popular sport for girls in Iowa. and industrial development. But the Ten- Club for Veterans. The sport was played indoors and out- nesseans who live here have retained their Many Mexican-Americans came to doors, in church basements and on roots in the land, just as the neighborhoods Michigan during the 1920’s to work in empty cattle pastures, wherever there in which they live still retain much of the the fields, on the railroads, and at the was room to fit two basketball goals. charm of early America. auto plants. These migrants experi- The popularity of girls’ basketball in Another thing that has not—and will not— enced many difficulties arising from Iowa may have helped save the sport change is our volunteer spirit. Ever since that day in 1848, when Brown cultural differences and their inexperi- from extinction. In the 1920’s, women called for 3,000 volunteers to help win the ence with the English language. After and girls were discouraged from play- war with Mexico and 30,000 charged to the the war, Mexican-Americans in the ing competitive sports because it was fight, our reputation as ‘‘The Volunteer Saginaw area continued to experience seen as too strenuous and unladylike. State’’ has gone unchallenged. prejudice and discrimination. The Girls’ basketball virtually vanished Nothing better exemplifies that spirit than members of the Latin American Club from the rest of the country. But this cabin which we dedicate today. Like the for Veterans felt it was important to Iowans took great pride in the success entire Netherland Inn complex, it is rich with stories of selflessness and vol- have a stronger voice in Saginaw to of their girls’ basketball teams. Com- unteerism—from the foresight of Joe serve the Mexican-American commu- munities banded together to support Wimberly, who first proposed the idea of nity. Therefore, they decided to apply girls’ basketball, and the sport re- making the Pence cabin part of the for a chapter charter in the American mained as popular as ever in Iowa. In Netherland Inn complex, to the generosity of Legion. the 1970’s and 1980’s, Iowa’s basketball the Carl Brauns who donated it, to the tire- On April 20, 1946, Latin American Le- success was used as a model for other less efforts of the entire crew of the Bent gion Post 500 was chartered. It was States in expanding sports opportuni- Nail Construction Company—and countless later decided to rename the post after ties for girls. others—who helped make this project pos- sible, especially Mr. Ben Brown. the first four Mexican-Americans Iowa’s State tournament was first For thirty years, Ben Brown has been a killed in World War II. The names of staged in 1920. It is the oldest continu- tireless advocate for the Netherland Inn, and Louis Martinez, Julian Garcia, Sifred ously held girls’ basketball champion- this project is but one example of his dedi- Nerio, and John Reyes live on today at ship in the United States. The State cated support. As Karyn and I—and I’m sure American Legion Post 500. Since its in- tournament has consistently been many others—have discovered, once Ben ception, over 1,000 veterans serving in played before capacity crowds, drawing makes a commitment to someone or some World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and fans from all corners of Iowa. The tour- project, that support never waivers. We nament has developed a national and could not have a better friend, nor Kingsport Desert Storm have been members of a better community leader, than Ben Brown. the post. even international following. News As a result of all your efforts, the Pence In addition to assisting veterans, the media from across the State and cabin will now be preserved forever, not only post has been involved in helping the around the country gather in Des

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