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