R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The people of Motley County will join in paying
1-2 tribute to one of their most prominent favorite sons during Shannon
1-3 Davidson Pony Express Days, which will be held in June 1997; and
1-4 WHEREAS, In addition to an arts and crafts festival, food
1-5 concessions, music, and western dancing, this unique festival will
1-6 also feature 25-mile and 60-mile endurance rides, as well as a
1-7 quarter-mile ranch horse race, to memorialize Mr. Davidson's famed
1-8 victory in the 2,000-mile Pony Express Race of 1939; and
1-9 WHEREAS, Conceived as a publicity event for the small Texas
1-10 community in which it originated, the punishing race stretched from
1-11 Nocona, Texas, to San Francisco, California; Mr. Davidson, a
1-12 22-year-old cowboy from Flomot, pushed himself to ride 13 or more
1-13 hours a day through the deserts and plains of Texas, New Mexico,
1-14 Arizona, and California, all for the promise of $750 in freshly
1-15 minted silver dollars and a Hollywood screen test; and
1-16 WHEREAS, On March 24, 1939, 23 days after the starting shot
1-17 was fired, Mr. Davidson and his two faithful cow ponies, Rocket and
1-18 Ranger, crossed the finish line in Oakland, California, and later
1-19 that day, they received a hero's welcome at the San Francisco
1-20 World's Fair; and
1-21 WHEREAS, True to their word, the sponsors of the race
1-22 arranged for a screen test, and Mr. Davidson went on to work for
1-23 Republic Studios for the next three years, playing small roles in
1-24 several western movies, including Gene Autry's Colorado Sunset; and
2-1 WHEREAS, In the course of winning the 1939 Pony Express Race,
2-2 Shannon Davidson exemplified the courage, fortitude, determination,
2-3 and honesty that Texans have always attributed to our most powerful
2-4 mythic hero: the cowboy; this esteemed Texan's spirit lives on
2-5 today in the hearts of all who hold these values dear, and the
2-6 Shannon Davidson Pony Express Days celebration is a fitting homage
2-7 to his memory; now, therefore, be it
2-8 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas
2-9 Legislature hereby recognize June 21, 1997, as Shannon Davidson
2-10 Pony Express Day and commend the Motley County Chamber of Commerce
2-11 for paying tribute to this notable Texan; and, be it further
2-12 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-13 prepared for the Motley County Chamber of Commerce as an expression
2-14 of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
Laney
Laney Gutierrez Oliveira
Alexander Haggerty Olivo
Allen Hamric Palmer
Alvarado Hartnett Patterson
Averitt Hawley Pickett
Bailey Heflin Pitts
Berlanga Hernandez Place
Bonnen Hightower Price
Bosse Hilbert Puente
Brimer Hilderbran Rabuck
Burnam Hill Ramsay
Carter Hinojosa Rangel
Chavez Hirschi Raymond
Chisum Hochberg Reyna of Bexar
Christian Hodge Reyna of Dallas
Clark Holzheauser Rhodes
Coleman Horn Rodriguez
Cook Howard Roman
Corte Hunter Sadler
Counts Hupp Seaman
Crabb Isett Serna
Craddick Jackson Shields
Cuellar Janek Siebert
Culberson Jones of Lubbock Smith
Danburg Jones of Dallas Smithee
Davila Junell Solis
Davis Kamel Solomons
Delisi Keel Staples
Denny Keffer Stiles
Driver King Swinford
Dukes Krusee Talton
Dunnam Kubiak Telford
Dutton Kuempel Thompson
Edwards Lewis of Tarrant Tillery
Ehrhardt Lewis of Orange Torres
Eiland Longoria Turner of Coleman
Elkins Luna Turner of Harris
Farrar McCall Uher
Finnell McClendon Van de Putte
Flores McReynolds Walker
Gallego Madden West
Galloway Marchant Williams
Garcia Maxey Williamson
Giddings Merritt Wilson
Glaze Moffat Wise
Goodman Moreno Wohlgemuth
Goolsby Mowery Wolens
Gray Naishtat Woolley
Greenberg Nixon Yarbrough
Grusendorf Oakley Zbranek
_______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1122 was adopted by the House on May
27, 1997, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House