H.R. No. 297 R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Since being catapulted to international prominence 1-2 with his impressive victory for the Olympic heavyweight boxing 1-3 title at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, native Texan George 1-4 Edward Foreman has remained one of the most admired and beloved 1-5 sports figures of the last quarter century; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Bursting upon the sports scene at a time of trouble 1-7 and unrest, the young heavyweight boxer captivated the American 1-8 public with a heartwarming display of patriotism, and the indelible 1-9 image of this formidable champion waving an American flag in the 1-10 ring after winning the Olympic gold medal endeared him to millions 1-11 of fans; and 1-12 WHEREAS, Entering the professional boxing ranks shortly 1-13 thereafter, Mr. Foreman achieved an impressive record and became 1-14 one of the dominant figures in his sport; from 1968 until 1977, he 1-15 entered the ring 47 times and emerged victorious 45 times, knocking 1-16 out his opponents an incredible 42 times and holding the world 1-17 heavyweight title from January 1973 until October 1974; and 1-18 WHEREAS, On his retirement in 1977, he became actively 1-19 involved in the Christian ministry and founded the Church of the 1-20 Lord Jesus Christ in his native Houston; an ordained minister since 1-21 1979, he has poured his boundless energy and enthusiasm into a 1-22 variety of programs in behalf of the city's youth; and 1-23 WHEREAS, In 1984, he and his brother Roy founded the George 1-24 Foreman Neighborhood Center in North Houston to provide wholesome 2-1 activities in a supportive environment for thousands of children 2-2 and young adults in the community; and 2-3 WHEREAS, Returning to the ring in 1987, Mr. Foreman proceeded 2-4 to silence critics who had questioned the wisdom of his coming out 2-5 of retirement by winning 24 bouts to become a legitimate contender 2-6 for the heavyweight crown once again; and 2-7 WHEREAS, Finally, on November 4, 1994, at the age of 45, he 2-8 completed one of the most amazing comebacks in sports history with 2-9 a stunning victory over the defending titleholder Michael Moorer to 2-10 reclaim the championship belt he had worn 20 years earlier, and in 2-11 the process he entered the record books as the oldest boxer ever to 2-12 hold the world heavyweight title; and 2-13 WHEREAS, Reigning supreme in one of the most violent of 2-14 sports, this gentle man nevertheless is known as much for his warm 2-15 heart and kindness of spirit as he is for his prowess in the ring, 2-16 and he has earned widespread respect and admiration for his 2-17 generous acts of philanthropy; and 2-18 WHEREAS, Among his most notable contributions to the 2-19 well-being of his fellowman are his substantial support for 2-20 programs and service organizations such as the AIDS Foundation 2-21 Stone Soup Kitchen, the American Cancer Society, and Texas Southern 2-22 University's Endowed Scholarship Fund; and 2-23 WHEREAS, His generous gifts to The University of Texas M. D. 2-24 Anderson Cancer Center, including a recent million dollar donation 2-25 for a new pediatric intensive care unit, have only enhanced his 2-26 reputation as a magnificent humanitarian; and 2-27 WHEREAS, Throughout his career, whether as an Olympic and 3-1 professional boxer, minister of God, counselor to troubled youth, 3-2 or philanthropist, this native Texan has shown an extraordinary 3-3 capacity to strive for excellence, to succeed in all of his 3-4 endeavors, and to demonstrate his concern for the poor, the young, 3-5 the sick, and the needy; now, therefore, be it 3-6 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas 3-7 Legislature hereby commend George Edward Foreman on his outstanding 3-8 record of achievement and numerous contributions to the betterment 3-9 of his community; and, be it further 3-10 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-11 prepared for Mr. Foreman as an expression of high esteem by the 3-12 Texas House of Representatives.