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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 183
BY REPRESENTATIVE COX
A RESOLUTION
To commend Tom Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, on the occasion
of his induction into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1958 and was
intended, in the words of Otis Harris, sports editor of the Shreveport Journal, to be "the
Louisiana Hall of Fame – a hall of fame for the state's greatest athletes, men or women,
amateur or professional, living or dead"; and
WHEREAS, though the Hall of Fame began over fifty years ago, in 2013 the Hall
of Fame celebrated the grand opening of its permanent and appropriate home for the
recognition of Louisiana's greatest sports heroes at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and
Northwest Louisiana History Museum in the National Historic District of Natchitoches; and
WHEREAS, among the remarkable class of honorees to be inducted into the
Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday, June 21, 2014, is New Orleans native,
businessman, and philanthropist, Tom Benson; and
WHEREAS, born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Tom Benson served in
World War II for the U.S. Navy and then graduated with an accounting degree from Loyola
University of New Orleans in 1948; and
WHEREAS, known for his ownership of the New Orleans Saints since 1985, the
New Orleans native has been at the forefront of sports in the Crescent City for nearly thirty
years; and
WHEREAS, in 1985, Tom Benson purchased the New Orleans Saints from John
Mecom, saving the NFL franchise from a potential move to Jacksonville, Florida, which
Benson realized would have resulted in negative economic implications for not just the city
of New Orleans, but the entire state of Louisiana; and ENROLLEDHR NO. 183
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WHEREAS, as the new owner, Benson quickly hired Jim Finks, a 1995 inductee of
the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as general manager and Jim Mora as head coach, who two
years later helped deliver the club's first winning season and playoff appearance since its
inception in 1967; and
WHEREAS, as owner, Benson has also presided over the team's first division title
in 1991, first playoff victory in 2000, and the first NFL title in 2009 after the Saints
delivered a 31-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV on February 7, 2010;
and
WHEREAS, throughout his tenure as owner of the New Orleans Saints, Benson has
served on numerous NFL committees, including three terms as Chairman of the prestigious
and powerful Finance Committee; and
WHEREAS, Benson was also instrumental in bringing five Super Bowls to New
Orleans, including Super Bowl XLVII which was played on February 5, 2013; and
WHEREAS, Benson, who was also the owner and operator of the New Orleans
Voodoo franchise of the Arena Football League from 2002 through 2008, surprised the
entire region when he purchased the New Orleans Hornets, now renamed the Pelicans, from
the NBA in the spring of 2012; and
WHEREAS, Benson and his wife, Gayle, are active philanthropists as well,
establishing numerous endowments and making substantial donations to various educational
institutions; and
WHEREAS, in January 2012, Benson and his wife were awarded the Pro Ecclesia
et Pontifice for their generosity to the Catholic Church, the highest papal honor that Catholic
lay persons can receive; and
WHEREAS, the House of Representatives of the Legislature of Louisiana wishes to
recognize New Orleans native Tom Benson for his economic and philanthropic contributions
to this state, and for his well-deserved induction into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, for
he is truly a Louisiana sports icon.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend Tom Benson upon the occasion of his
induction into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. ENROLLEDHR NO. 183
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
to Tom Benson.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES