1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1151 1-3 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to 1-4 commend the establishment of the Doak Walker Memorial Fund at the 1-5 Yampa Valley Community Foundation of Steamboat Springs, Colorado; 1-6 and 1-7 WHEREAS, Founded to honor the memory of Doak Walker, the 1-8 1948 Heisman Trophy winner and a member of both the College 1-9 Football Hall of Fame and the Professional Football Hall of 1-10 Fame, the primary purpose of the fund will be to recognize athletic 1-11 achievement and promote leadership through high school scholarships; 1-12 and 1-13 WHEREAS, The memorial fund will be the main recipient of money 1-14 raised through the Annual Walker-Lindquist Steamboat Invitational 1-15 Golf Tournament to be held this year on June 24 through 26, 1999; 1-16 and 1-17 WHEREAS, Ewell Doak Walker II was born on New Year's Day in 1-18 1927 in Highland Park, Texas, and he died in September, 1998, at 1-19 the age of 71; his father was a football coach and his mother was 1-20 a teacher, so Doak loved football from his earliest days; and 2-1 WHEREAS, When he was grown, he was five feet, 11 inches tall 2-2 and weighed 168 pounds; he made up in ability what he lacked in 2-3 size and played football for Southern Methodist University; and 2-4 WHEREAS, At Southern Methodist University from 2-5 1945 through 1949, Doak led the Mustangs to the top of the 2-6 Southwest Conference and captured the interest of the nation; 2-7 when he was a college sophomore, he won the Maxwell Award, and 2-8 when he was a junior, he won the Heisman Trophy; and 2-9 WHEREAS, Doak Walker led the Mustangs to Southwest Conference 2-10 Championships and Cotton Bowl appearances in 1947 and 1948, and 2-11 Southern Methodist University moved its home football games to an 2-12 expanded Cotton Bowl; and 2-13 WHEREAS, Even though he had been drafted by the United States 2-14 Army in 1946, he earned his bachelor of science degree from 2-15 Southern Methodist University on schedule; and 2-16 WHEREAS, Deciding to play for the Detroit Lions, he led the 2-17 National Football League in scoring as a rookie; during his six 2-18 years with the Lions, he led the team to National Football League 2-19 championships in 1952 and 1953; he was chosen All-Pro four times; 2-20 and 2-21 WHEREAS, Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2-22 1956, Doak Walker was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2-23 1986; he left the Lions when he was 28 years old, saying that he had 3-1 found a better paying job, and he moved to Denver; and 3-2 WHEREAS, In 1968, Doak married Skeeter Werner, a former 3-3 Olympic skier; they moved to Steamboat Springs, where they ran a 3-4 business, had a family, and enjoyed skiing, traveling, and raising 3-5 and riding horses; and 3-6 WHEREAS, Doak Walker passed away in September, 1998, of 3-7 complications from paralysis he sustained during a skiing accident 3-8 in January, 1998; he is survived by his family: his wife, 3-9 Skeeter Werner Walker; his children, Laurie Hunt, Kris Wolcott, 3-10 Russell Walker, and Scott Walker; and his four grandchildren; now, 3-11 therefore, be it 3-12 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 3-13 76th Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the life and memory of 3-14 Doak Walker and commend the founding of the Doak Walker Memorial 3-15 Fund; and, be it further 3-16 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as an 3-17 expression of the highest regard and esteem of the Texas Senate. 3-18 Moncrief 3-19 ______________________________________ 3-20 President of the Senate 3-21 I hereby certify that the above 3-22 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 3-23 on May 27, 1999. 3-24 ______________________________________ 3-25 Secretary of the Senate 3-26 ______________________________________ 3-27 Member, Texas Senate