Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SR424 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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1	1	SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 424
2	2	In Memory
3	3	of
4	4	Willie Cager
5	5	WHEREAS, Residents of El Paso are mourning the loss of
6	6	Willie Cager, a beloved member of the historic Texas Western
7	7	University basketball team that won the 1966 national
8	8	championship, who passed away on March 19, 2023, at the age of
9	9	80; and
10	10	WHEREAS, William Cager Jr. was born in the Bronx in New
11	11	York City on August 24, 1942; his playing career as a member of
12	12	the Texas Western basketball team began in 1964, and the
13	13	following year, he was part of the legendary Miners team that
14	14	became the first to win the NCAA title with five African American
15	15	players in the starting lineup; the team's 72-65 victory in the
16	16	championship game over an all-White squad from the University of
17	17	Kentucky is widely regarded as a key turning point in the racial
18	18	integration of the sport throughout the U.S., helping to usher in
19	19	a new era of collegiate athletics; the win capped an amazing
20	20	season for the Miners, who dropped just one contest on their way
21	21	to the title; four decades later, the story was made into a major
22	22	motion picture, Glory Road, and the team was inducted into the
23	23	Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007; and
24	24	WHEREAS, A skilled low-post player nicknamed "Scoops,"
25	25	Mr. Cager was sidelined part way through the championship season
26	26	because of a heart murmur; though he returned to action, Texas
27	27	Western head coach Don Haskins was only able to play him in short
28	28	stints; he started the championship game and made an important
29	29	contribution, scoring eight points, grabbing six rebounds, and
30	30	making six of his seven free throws; he ultimately appeared in 77
31	31	contests for the Miners, averaging 8.5 points and 5.3 rebounds
32	32	for his career; he was selected by the Baltimore Bullets in the
33	33	1968 NBA Draft, though he never played professionally; and
34	34	WHEREAS, Mr. Cager made El Paso his permanent home, and he
35	35	became a notable figure in the community; he served as the
36	36	coordinator of the Ysleta Independent School District's
37	37	after-school basketball program and launched the Willie Cager
38	38	Foundation to raise money to build multipurpose athletic and
39	39	academic complexes for area youth; in 2017, he ran for mayor of El
40	40	Paso; throughout his life, he was a ubiquitous presence at Miners
41	41	home games, and in March of 2022, the Miner Athletic Club
42	42	launched an endowed basketball scholarship in his honor; he is
43	43	survived by his children, Kareem, Kenya, and Kendeea; and
44	44	WHEREAS, Renowned for his clutch play on the hardwood and
45	45	his enduring contributions to his adopted hometown, Willie Cager
46	46	etched his name in the history of college basketball, and his
47	47	legacy will resonate in the El Paso area for years to come; now,
48	48	therefore, be it
49	49	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th
50	50	Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the memory of Willie Cager and
51	51	extend heartfelt sympathy to his relatives and many friends; and,
52	52	be it further
53	53	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
54	54	prepared for his family and that when the Texas Senate adjourns
55	55	this day, it do so in memory of Willie Cager.
56	56	Blanco
57	57	________________________________
58	58	President of the Senate
59	59	I hereby certify that the
60	60	above Resolution was adopted by
61	61	the Senate on April 17, 2023, by a
62	62	rising vote.
63	63	________________________________
64	64	Secretary of the Senate
65	65	________________________________
66	66	Member, Texas Senate