R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives joins with 1-2 football fans across the state and nation in mourning the loss of 1-3 legendary coach Tom Landry, who passed away on February 12, 2000, 1-4 at the age of 75; and 1-5 WHEREAS, A native of Mission, Texas, Mr. Landry was born 1-6 September 11, 1924, and attended Mission High School, where he 1-7 demonstrated an exceptional affinity for football as a quarterback, 1-8 free safety, and fullback and earned all-region distinction; and 1-9 WHEREAS, He enrolled at The University of Texas but set aside 1-10 his studies to join the U.S. Army Air Corps; this patriotic 1-11 individual served his country with distinction during World War II, 1-12 flying 30 missions with the Eighth Air Force; and 1-13 WHEREAS, After completing military service he returned to the 1-14 Forty Acres, where he excelled on both sides of the ball as a 1-15 defensive back and fullback for the Longhorns; an All-Southwest 1-16 Conference performer, he played an instrumental role in Texas' 1-17 victories in the 1948 Sugar Bowl and 1949 Orange Bowl; and 1-18 WHEREAS, Mr. Landry earned a bachelor's degree in business 1-19 from The University of Texas but remained focused on football; in 1-20 1949 he joined the New York Yankees of the All-American Football 1-21 Conference and moved to the New York Giants organization the 1-22 following year; and 1-23 WHEREAS, A stalwart for the Giants for several seasons, 1-24 Mr. Landry earned All-Pro honors as a player-coach in 1954; he 2-1 turned his talents to coaching full-time in 1956, when he assumed 2-2 responsibility for the Giants defense, and his innovative defensive 2-3 schemes helped the team to an NFL title by overpowering the Chicago 2-4 Bears 47-7; and 2-5 WHEREAS, Mr. Landry moved with his family to Dallas in 1957, 2-6 and in 1959 he was hired to be the head coach of the fledgling 2-7 Dallas Cowboys team; and 2-8 WHEREAS, Although the franchise endured a rocky start over 2-9 its first few seasons, Mr. Landry's quiet determination and 2-10 visionary leadership ultimately helped build Dallas into a 2-11 perennial football power and championship contender, earning the 2-12 Cowboys the nickname "America's Team"; and 2-13 WHEREAS, During his 29-year tenure with the silver and blue, 2-14 Mr. Landry led the Cowboys to 270 wins, 13 division titles, and 5 2-15 Super Bowl appearances, including victories over Miami in 1972 and 2-16 Denver in 1978; and 2-17 WHEREAS, In 1990 he received one of the most prestigious of 2-18 gridiron honors when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of 2-19 Fame, and on July 20, 1993, his contributions to the Dallas Cowboys 2-20 were forever enshrined by that organization with the unveiling of 2-21 his name alongside the silhouette of his trademark fedora at Texas 2-22 Stadium, signifying his induction into the Cowboys' Ring of Honor; 2-23 and 2-24 WHEREAS, Mr. Landry was a man of abiding faith, and his 2-25 actions consistently reflected his boundless integrity, fairness, 2-26 and commitment to helping his fellowman; and 2-27 WHEREAS, Throughout the course of his life, Tom Landry set 3-1 standards of excellence on and off the playing field which few can 3-2 equal but to which all may aspire; his passing leaves a void in the 3-3 world of sports that can truly never be filled, but his remarkable 3-4 achievements as a coach and his legacy of fairness, honesty, and 3-5 integrity will continue to inspire countless individuals for years 3-6 to come; now, therefore, be it 3-7 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas 3-8 Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Tom Landry and extend 3-9 sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, Alicia 3-10 Wiggs Landry; to his son, Tom Landry, Jr., his wife, Clarke, and 3-11 their children, Taylor, Logan, and Tom Landry III; to his daughter, 3-12 Kitty Landry Phillips, her husband, Eddie, and their children, Ryan 3-13 and Jennifer Phillips; to his son-in-law, Gary Childress, and 3-14 granddaughter, Christina Childress, the husband and daughter of the 3-15 Landrys' late daughter, Lisa Landry Childress; and to the many 3-16 other friends, relatives, and admirers of this Lone Star legend; 3-17 and, be it further 3-18 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-19 prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of 3-20 Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Tom 3-21 Landry. Goolsby Laney Goodman Merritt Alexander Goolsby Miller Allen Gray Moreno of Harris Averitt Green Moreno of El Paso Bailey Grusendorf Morrison Berman Gutierrez Mowery Bonnen Haggerty Naishtat Bosse Hamric Najera Brimer Hardcastle Nixon Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Noriega Brown of Brazos Hawley Oliveira Burnam Heflin Olivo Callegari Hilbert Pickett Capelo Hilderbran Pitts Carter Hill Puente Chavez Hinojosa Ramsay Chisum Hochberg Rangel Christian Hodge Raymond Clark Homer Reyna of Bexar Coleman Hope Reyna of Dallas Cook Hopson Ritter Corte Howard Sadler Counts Hunter Salinas Crabb Hupp Seaman Craddick Isett Shields Crownover Janek Smith Danburg Jones of Lubbock Smithee Davis of Harris Jones of Bexar Solis Davis of Dallas Jones of Dallas Solomons Delisi Junell Swinford Denny Keel Talton Deshotel Keffer Telford Driver King of Parker Thompson Dukes King of Uvalde Tillery Dunnam Kitchen Truitt Dutton Kolkhorst Turner of Coleman Edwards Krusee Turner of Harris Ehrhardt Kuempel Uher Eiland Lewis of Tarrant Uresti Elkins Lewis of Orange Villarreal Ellis Longoria Walker Farabee Luna West Farrar McCall Williams Flores McClendon Wilson Gallego McReynolds Wise Garcia Madden Wohlgemuth George Marchant Wolens Geren Martinez Fischer Woolley Giddings Maxey Yarbrough Glaze Menendez Zbranek _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 821 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on April 24, 2001. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House