1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION 1-3 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to pay 1-4 tribute to Coach Gene Stallings on the momentous occasion of his 1-5 retirement; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Born Eugene Clifton Stallings, Jr., on March 2, 1935, 1-7 in Paris, Texas, he is the son of Nell Moye Stallings and 1-8 Eugene Clifton Stallings, Sr.; Gene Stallings earned All-District 1-9 honors in football and basketball at Paris High School and was 1-10 selected for the All-State second team; and 1-11 WHEREAS, While attending college, he played football for 1-12 the famous Paul "Bear" Bryant at Texas A&M University, earned 1-13 All-Southwest Conference honors, was Tri-Captain of the 1956 squad 1-14 with Jack Pardee and Lloyd Hale, and won the Southwest Conference 1-15 title; and 1-16 WHEREAS, After being an assistant coach under Bear Bryant 1-17 from 1958 through 1964, Coach Stallings returned to 1-18 Texas A&M University as a head coach at the age of 29; and 1-19 WHEREAS, He compiled a record of 27-45-1 in seven seasons, 1-20 won the Southwest Conference Championship in 1967, and closed out 1-21 the season with seven consecutive wins; and 1-22 WHEREAS, Gene Stallings took a job with Coach Tom Landry and 1-23 the Dallas Cowboys in 1972 and remained on the staff for 14 seasons; 2-1 and 2-2 WHEREAS, Making his first appearance as a head coach of the 2-3 Saint Louis Cardinals, Coach Stallings joined a team which led the 2-4 National Football Conference in total defense and ranked fourth 2-5 overall in the National Football League; and 2-6 WHEREAS, The Cardinals moved to Phoenix in 1988, and he 2-7 accumulated an impressive record in one of the most challenging 2-8 divisions in the National Football League; he went to the 2-9 University of Alabama on January 11, 1990, upon the recommendation 2-10 of Bear Bryant; and 2-11 WHEREAS, While at Alabama, Coach Stallings won four 2-12 Southeastern Conference West titles and the National Championship 2-13 in 1992; he resigned on November 23, 1996, just after winning an 2-14 extremely exciting game over Auburn University by a score of 24-23; 2-15 he had compiled an incredible record of 52-10-1 while at Alabama; 2-16 and 2-17 WHEREAS, As a role model, Gene Stallings is unsurpassed; he 2-18 is incomparable as a coach, husband, and father; as a man of great 2-19 character, he has brought hope to countless mentally disabled 2-20 individuals and their families across our country; he and his wife, 2-21 Ruth Ann, have devotedly cared for their son, Johnny, who has 2-22 special needs, for 34 years of growth and development; and 2-23 WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Stallings also have four lovely 2-24 daughters; Anna Lee, Laurie, Jackie, and Martha Kate, and their 2-25 husbands, Dr. Tim Young, Dr. David Vanderpool, John Chalk, and 3-1 Keith Gunn, are all graduates of Abilene Christian University; and 3-2 WHEREAS, Ruth and Gene Stallings were honored with the 3-3 National Christian Service Award by Abilene Christian University 3-4 in 1994, and they have helped establish two institutions, Disability 3-5 Resources, Incorporated, in Texas and Rainbow Omega in Alabama to 3-6 provide comprehensive care for developmentally disabled persons; and 3-7 WHEREAS, A program in Alabama, RISE, which provides services 3-8 for children with disabilities from birth to age five, named their 3-9 new facility "The Stallings Center"; and 3-10 WHEREAS, Widely known for his charitable endeavors, 3-11 Coach Stallings participates in golf tournaments, speaking tours, 3-12 and other events which support the mentally retarded and mentally 3-13 disabled; he was named Dallas Father of the Year in 1983; and 3-14 WHEREAS, Elected to the Texas A&M Hall of Fame in 1982, in 3-15 1992 he was lauded as Coach of the Year by the Pigskin Club of 3-16 Washington, D.C., the Washington Touchdown Club, the Maxwell 3-17 Football Club, Kodak, the Associated Press, ABC/Chevrolet, the 3-18 Birmingham News, and the Nashville Banner; and 3-19 WHEREAS, Named Family of the Year in 1991 by the Tuscaloosa 3-20 Association of Retarded Citizens, Coach and Mrs. Stallings are 3-21 excellent examples for people everywhere who need their inspiration 3-22 and faith in God to persevere; now, therefore, be it 3-23 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 3-24 75th Legislature, hereby wish the best to Coach Gene Stallings as 3-25 he looks forward to his retirement in Paris, Texas, and extend to 4-1 him and his family warmest regards for the future; and, be it 4-2 further 4-3 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for 4-4 Coach Stallings as an expression of the greatest esteem of the 4-5 Texas Senate. 4-6 Ratliff 4-7 Ogden 4-8 Armbrister Galloway Nixon 4-9 Barrientos Harris Patterson 4-10 Bivins Haywood Shapiro 4-11 Brown Lindsay Shapleigh 4-12 Cain Lucio Sibley 4-13 Carona Luna Truan 4-14 Duncan Madla Wentworth 4-15 Ellis Moncrief West 4-16 Fraser Nelson Whitmire 4-17 Gallegos Zaffirini 4-18 Bullock, President of the Senate 4-19 ______________________________________ 4-20 President of the Senate 4-21 I hereby certify that the above 4-22 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 4-23 on March 3, 1997. 4-24 ______________________________________ 4-25 Secretary of the Senate 4-26 ______________________________________ 4-27 Member, Texas Senate 4-28 ______________________________________ 4-29 Member, Texas Senate