| 2 | 3 | | |
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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Sid Blanks thrilled countless fans during an |
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| 6 | 7 | | outstanding career as a college and professional football player; |
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| 7 | 8 | | and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, A native of Del Rio, Mr. Blanks starred at San Felipe |
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| 9 | 10 | | High School as a four-year letterman in four different sports, and |
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| 10 | 11 | | he remains the school's only alumnus to play football |
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| 11 | 12 | | professionally in both the American and National Football Leagues; |
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| 12 | 13 | | his legacy was recognized by his hometown in 2014, when the Del Rio |
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| 13 | 14 | | City Council unanimously voted to name a city park in his honor; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Taking his talents to Texas A&I University in 1960, |
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| 15 | 16 | | Mr. Blanks was a member of the Javelina track and field squad, but |
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| 16 | 17 | | it was on the gridiron that he truly made his mark; the first |
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| 17 | 18 | | African American to play football on scholarship at a predominantly |
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| 18 | 19 | | white school in the State of Texas as well as the first to compete in |
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| 19 | 20 | | the Lone Star Conference, he became a two-time All-American and a |
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| 20 | 21 | | four-time All-Conference selection as a halfback, establishing a |
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| 21 | 22 | | number of school and conference records along the way; he was |
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| 22 | 23 | | inducted into the Javelina Hall of Fame in 1981 and the LSC Hall of |
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| 23 | 24 | | Fame in 2002; and |
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| 24 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Blanks began his pro career in 1964 with the |
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| 25 | 26 | | AFL's Houston Oilers, rushing for 756 yards and adding nearly 500 |
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| 26 | 27 | | receiving yards to earn a spot on the league's All-Star squad as a |
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| 27 | 28 | | rookie; on December 13 of that same year, he set a team record with a |
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| 28 | 29 | | 91-yard run against the New York Jets; in 1969, he joined the Boston |
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| 29 | 30 | | Patriots, also of the AFL; after the AFL was absorbed by the NFL the |
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| 30 | 31 | | following year, he played one more season with the Patriots before |
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| 31 | 32 | | retiring in 1970; and |
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| 32 | 33 | | WHEREAS, A trailblazing athlete who achieved success at the |
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| 33 | 34 | | high school, college, and professional levels, Sid Blanks is a |
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| 34 | 35 | | source of pride to football fans across the Lone Star State; now, |
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| 35 | 36 | | therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 37 | 38 | | Legislature hereby honor Sid Blanks on his accomplishments in |
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| 38 | 39 | | football and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued |
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| 39 | 40 | | happiness; and, be it further |
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| 40 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 41 | 42 | | prepared for Mr. Blanks as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 42 | 43 | | House of Representatives. |
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