Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a very special constituent, a legendary west Texan, and a great American and the most recent inductee into the Texas Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame, Gene Arrington. At 6-foot-6, ``Big Air,'' as his friends call him, is a giant of a man with a larger-than-life story. He was raised by a single mom on the south side of Amarillo, Texas, with little more than a roof over his head. In spite of his humble beginnings, God blessed him with an abundance of athleticism and drive that helped him achieve tremendous success in the sport of basketball. In 1956, Arrington led the Palo Duro Dons to their first State championship basketball title, averaging 20 points a game, and named to both the all-State and all-tournament teams. He was the only Texan to be invited to play in the North versus South All-Star Game in Murray, Kentucky. After high school, Arrington joined Polk Robison's Texas Tech Red Raiders, where he started for 3 years, scored 652 points, and pulled down 409 rebounds in 71 games. His greatest feat, Mr. Speaker, while playing ball at Texas Tech was winning the heart of a young coed from Austin, Texas, Betty Lee Cook, who is now his wife of over 50 years. If you asked my dad about his greatest achievements, he wouldn't reference championship titles, all-star games, or all-State and all- conference teams. He wouldn't mention a single athletic achievement or accolade.…”