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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, In recognition of his outstanding collegiate |
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playing career, Jacksboro High School head baseball coach Blake |
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Belcher is being inducted into the Howard Payne University Sports |
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Hall of Fame on May 15, 2021; and |
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WHEREAS, A 1994 graduate of Holliday High School, Blake |
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Belcher attended Abilene Christian University and Ranger College |
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before transferring to Howard Payne and joining the baseball team; |
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he demonstrated dynamic leadership as a junior, helping the Yellow |
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Jackets to win the 1997 American Southwest Conference championship |
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and to make their inaugural appearance in the NAIA national |
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tournament; named the conference's Most Valuable Player, he hit |
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.401 with nine home runs on the year, sparking an offense that |
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delivered a school-record .359 team batting average; and |
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WHEREAS, Continuing to excel during his senior campaign at |
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HPU, Mr. Belcher posted a .390 batting average while propelling the |
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squad to a program-record 32 wins and a second-place league finish; |
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he was a first-team All-Conference selection for the Yellow |
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Jackets, who were nationally ranked for most of the season; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Belcher earned an education degree from HPU and |
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worked one year as a graduate assistant for the baseball team; he |
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has spent the past two decades as a teacher and a high school |
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baseball coach, including his tenure guiding the Jacksboro Tigers; |
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in all his endeavors, he enjoys the love and support of his wife, |
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Melanie, and their three children; and |
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WHEREAS, Through his remarkable success on the baseball |
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diamond, Blake Belcher has furthered the proud tradition of |
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athletic achievement at Howard Payne University, and he is indeed |
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deserving of this prestigious honor; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Blake Belcher on his induction into |
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the Howard Payne University Sports Hall of Fame and extend to him |
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sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Coach Belcher as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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Spiller |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 907 was adopted by the House on May 8, |
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2021, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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