HLS 15RS-2078 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 110
BY REPRESENTATIVES KLECKLEY, DANAHAY, FRANKLIN, GEYMANN, GUINN,
AND HENSGENS AND SENATORS J OHNS AND MORRISH
SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH: Designates May 5, 2015, as Alvin Dark Day at the state
capitol and posthumously commends Alvin Dark for his extraordinary life and
accomplishments
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To designate Tuesday, May 5, 2015, as Alvin Dark Day at the state capitol and to commend
3 Alvin Dark posthumously upon his extraordinary life and numerous
4 accomplishments.
5 WHEREAS, it is appropriate for Alvin Dark to be commended and honored for his
6extraordinary accomplishments and achievements throughout his well-lived life; and
7 WHEREAS, Mr. Dark was a native of Lake Charles, Louisiana; he attended Central
8School and Lake Charles High School, where he played football, basketball, track, and
9American Legion baseball; and
10 WHEREAS, his excellence in sports was widely recognized; he was chosen for the
11All-Southern and All-State football teams and the All-State basketball team; during his
12senior year at Lake Charles High School, he played in the state football championship as the
13tailback for the Wildcats; and
14 WHEREAS, following his high school graduation, Mr. Dark furthered his education
15and talent for sports at Louisiana State University where he lettered in football, basketball,
16track, and baseball; and
17 WHEREAS, during the 1942-1943 football season, LSU won every game in which
18Mr. Dark started as quarterback, and he was voted All-Sophomore in the Southeastern
19conference; and
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HCR NO. 110
1 WHEREAS, Mr. Dark was considered a triple threat in football as a runner, passer,
2and punter; and
3 WHEREAS, he also played on the Southeastern Conference Championship Baseball
4team at LSU and was chosen for the All-Conference Baseball team for the Southeastern
5conference; and
6 WHEREAS, in the fall of 1943, Alvin Dark transferred to Southwestern Louisiana
7Industrial Institute, now known as University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and while playing
8football there, he was voted All-American in 1944; he also placed first in high jump, second
9in broad jump, and second in the one hundred yard dash at the Southern AAU track meet;
10and
11 WHEREAS, he joined the United States Marine Corps during World War II and
12entered the Officer Training Program; after attending basic training at Paris Island and after
13his dutiful service in Pearl Harbor, he played on the All-Service Football team in Hawaii in
141945; and
15 WHEREAS, after proudly serving his country in World War II, agents from three
16different professional sports approached Mr. Dark to sign with their teams: the Philadelphia
17Eagles football team, the Fort Wayne Pistons basketball team, and the Boston Braves
18baseball team; Mr. Dark decided to continue his love for baseball and signed with the Boston
19Braves; and
20 WHEREAS, his baseball career spanned for four decades as a player and manager;
21he played fourteen years with teams such as the Boston Braves, New York Giants, St. Louis
22Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Braves, and Philadelphia Phillies; and
23 WHEREAS, as an outstanding baseball player, Alvin Dark was named Rookie of the
24Year in 1947 in the minor leagues and again in 1948 in the major leagues; he played in three
25World Series, had a lifetime batting average of .289, and was named World Champion in
261954 as the New York Giants shortstop and captain; he was also voted to All-Star teams in
271951, 1952, and 1954; and
28 WHEREAS, in 1960, Mr. Dark began his career as a manager with the San Francisco
29Giants, where he led the team to a National League Pennant and to the World Series in 1962;
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HCR NO. 110
1he also managed the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City A's, and the Oakland
2A's; and
3 WHEREAS, as manager for the Oakland A's, his team won the World Series in 1974,
4and Mr. Dark is one of only a few managers to have managed a National League team and
5American League team in the World Series; he is also the only manager to have managed
6the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics, both San Francisco Bay area teams, to a
7pennant; and
8 WHEREAS, not only was Alvin Dark a player and manager, but he was also
9involved in the front offices of three clubs; and
10 WHEREAS, Mr. Dark had a passion for golf; he was an avid golfer and a five-time
11winner of the baseball players golf tournament; in 1997 and 1998, he won the South Carolina
12Senior Gulf Tournament; he is a member of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, the Louisiana Hall
13of Fame, and the LSU Hall of Fame, and was also the first recipient of the Lou Gehrig
14Memorial Award in 1955; and
15 WHEREAS, on November 12, 2014, Alvin Dark passed away in his home in Easley,
16South Carolina, at the age of ninety-two; he was passionate about testifying to the loving
17grace and forgiveness of his Savior, Jesus Christ; and
18 WHEREAS, Alvin Dark loved his family and was a proud father of his children; he
19always considered the state of Louisiana as his home; and
20 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Legislature wishes to recognize the extraordinary life and
21accomplishments of Alvin Dark, a man whose legacy shall forever endure in the minds and
22hearts of all who knew and loved him.
23 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
24designate Tuesday, May 5, 2015, as Alvin Dark Day at the state capitol; does hereby
25commend Alvin Dark posthumously upon his life and numerous accomplishments; and does
26hereby extend sincere appreciation for the pride and honor that this truly remarkable man
27has brought to his family, friends, community, state, and nation.
28 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
29to the family of Alvin Dark.
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HCR NO. 110
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 110 Original 2015 Regular Session Kleckley
Designates May 5, 2015, as Alvin Dark Day at the state capitol and commends Mr. Dark's
extraordinary life and accomplishments.
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