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| | HR0580 | | LRB098 13899 GRL 48433 r |
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1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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2 | | WHEREAS, Little League Baseball and Softball is the world's |
3 | | largest organized youth sports program, with nearly 2.6 million |
4 | | players and one million adult volunteers in every state in the |
5 | | nation and many other countries; the Little League Challenger |
6 | | Division is Little League's adaptive baseball programs for boys |
7 | | and girls with physical and developmental challenges; and
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8 | | WHEREAS, The Little League Baseball World Series |
9 | | Challenger Exhibition Game has been a part of the Little League |
10 | | Baseball World Series schedule since 2001; boys and girls ages |
11 | | 4-18, or up to age 22 if still enrolled in a school program, |
12 | | with a physical or developmental challenge participate in the |
13 | | Challenger Division program; and
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14 | | WHEREAS, Flexibility and adaptability are key during |
15 | | Challenger games; the innings are shortened and last about an |
16 | | hour, while all players play defensively and receive a chance |
17 | | to bat every inning; the players have "buddies" that are |
18 | | individuals who assist Challenger athletes in the areas of |
19 | | batting, base running, and defense as needed; often, buddies |
20 | | are peer athletes who are participating in the Little League |
21 | | Baseball or Softball program; and
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22 | | WHEREAS, There are currently over 900 Challenger programs |
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| | HR0580 | - 2 - | LRB098 13899 GRL 48433 r |
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1 | | in 10 countries around the world; over 30,000 athletes |
2 | | participate in the Challenger Division; 40 to 50 programs apply |
3 | | to play during the Little League Baseball World Series every |
4 | | year; the Little League's staff review stories from each |
5 | | aspirant and select two teams that are exemplary; and
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6 | | WHEREAS, Illinois District 13 from the Chicago area and |
7 | | California District 57 from the San Francisco area were |
8 | | selected to represent more than 30,000 Challenger players and |
9 | | more than 900 leagues worldwide; the Illinois District 13 |
10 | | Challenger Division, founded in 1994, has 165 players and 14 |
11 | | teams from the combination of the Bartlett, Tri-Cities, and |
12 | | Woodstock Little Leagues in the Greater Chicago area; and
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13 | | WHEREAS, On August 24, 2013 at Volunteer Stadium in South |
14 | | Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the Little League Challenger |
15 | | Division played its 13th consecutive exhibition game; Illinois |
16 | | District 13 experienced the trip of a lifetime; the teams |
17 | | exchanged gift bags between players and their "buddies" and |
18 | | each player received a baseball autographed by ESPN baseball |
19 | | analysts; most importantly, the teams also received publicity, |
20 | | which results in a positive outcome; and
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21 | | WHEREAS, Every batter recorded a hit, reached base safely, |
22 | | and scored a run; the two teams successfully finished the game - |
23 | | a game in which no player is concerned about the score; |
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| | HR0580 | - 3 - | LRB098 13899 GRL 48433 r |
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1 | | therefore, be it
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2 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE |
3 | | NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that |
4 | | we congratulate the Woodstock Challenger Little League team for |
5 | | participating in the Little League Baseball World Series |
6 | | Challenger Exhibition Game; and be it further
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7 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be |
8 | | presented to the Woodstock Challenger Little League team.
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