Bill Text: TX HR1145 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: In memory of former track and football star Johnny "Lam" Jones.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-04-12 - Reported enrolled [HR1145 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HR1145-Introduced.html
Bill Title: In memory of former track and football star Johnny "Lam" Jones.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-04-12 - Reported enrolled [HR1145 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HR1145-Introduced.html
86R21782 CW-D | ||
By: Buckley | H.R. No. 1145 |
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WHEREAS, The life of a Lone Star State sports legend drew to a | ||
close with the passing of Johnny "Lam" Jones on March 15, 2019, at | ||
the age of 60; and | ||
WHEREAS, The son of John Jones and Mary Jones Dillon, John | ||
Wesley Jones II was born in Lawton, Oklahoma, on April 4, 1958; he | ||
first gained acclaim at Lampasas High School as an all-state | ||
football player and track star, and he delivered a performance for | ||
the ages at the 1976 Texas state track meet; after winning the | ||
100-yard and 220-yard dashes, he anchored the Lampasas mile relay | ||
squad, taking the baton in last place and overtaking the entire | ||
field during an electrifying final lap to win the race and cinch the | ||
team title for his school; a short time later, he gained | ||
international glory when he won Olympic gold in Montreal as a member | ||
of the U.S. 4x100-meter relay team; and | ||
WHEREAS, Mr. Jones went on to letter in football and track at | ||
The University of Texas at Austin; recruited as a running back, he | ||
shared the backfield with Johnny Jones of Hamlin, and head coach | ||
Darrell Royal dubbed the pair Johnny "Lam" Jones and Johnny "Ham" | ||
Jones in honor of their hometowns; playing wide receiver his final | ||
three seasons, Lam Jones was named the team's Most Valuable Player | ||
in 1978 and garnered All-American recognition in 1978 and 1979; | ||
moreover, he was a two-time All-Southwest Conference football pick | ||
and an All-American track performer, setting school records at the | ||
100-yard, 100-meter, and 220-yard distances; his athletic | ||
accomplishments at UT were later recognized with his induction into | ||
the Longhorn Hall of Honor, and he was also a member of the Texas | ||
High School Football Hall of Fame; and | ||
WHEREAS, Chosen by the New York Jets as the second overall | ||
pick in the 1980 NFL Draft, Mr. Jones signed a $2.1 million | ||
contract, the first million-dollar deal in league history; one of | ||
the fastest players to ever don a football uniform, he caught 138 | ||
passes for 2,322 yards and 13 touchdowns in five seasons with the | ||
Jets; though often hampered by injuries during his pro career, he | ||
helped New York to qualify for the playoffs in 1981 and 1982 and | ||
advance to the AFC Championship Game the latter season; he spent the | ||
1985 and 1986 seasons on the Jets' injured reserve list and then | ||
joined the San Francisco and Dallas organizations before retiring; | ||
and | ||
WHEREAS, Off the field, Mr. Jones worked in sales and served | ||
as a motivational speaker, often talking with high school athletes | ||
about his own experiences; he was also active with Special Olympics | ||
Texas and even donated his Olympic gold medal to the organization; | ||
diagnosed with cancer in 2005, he courageously battled the disease | ||
for nearly a decade and a half; and | ||
WHEREAS, Johnny Lam Jones earned a place in the pantheon of | ||
great athletes who hailed from the Lone Star State, and the legacy | ||
of this Olympic champion and gridiron star will long be treasured by | ||
all those who witnessed his achievements; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas | ||
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Johnny Lam Jones and | ||
extend sincere condolences to his relatives and friends; and, be it | ||
further | ||
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of | ||
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Johnny Lam | ||
Jones. |