HR0330 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0330 LRB103 32696 LAW 62427 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate John Cruz on the occasion of his retirement as a baseball coach after 51 years; and

WHEREAS, Coach Cruz was born to Rafael and Mary (Hernandez) Cruz in Spring Valley on September 15, 1949; he was one of 14 children; he graduated from DePue High School in 1969; and

WHEREAS, Outside of baseball, Coach Cruz worked at Libbey Owens, later renamed Pilkington, for 42 years from 1974 to 2015; and

WHEREAS, Coach Cruz began his 51-year coaching career with the Spring Valley Youth Baseball Program in 1972; he proceeded to coach various travel programs; he then served under Coach Bob Koopmann, assisting in coaching baseball at Illinois Valley Community College, Ashford University in Iowa, and Rockford University; and

WHEREAS, Coach Cruz returned to the Illinois Valley to coach the Princeton High School boys baseball team, the Tigers, in 2009, leading the team to its most productive two-year run with an overall record of 46-15; he then coached the Putnam County High School boys baseball team, the Panthers, for two years before coaching the freshmen baseball team at LaSalle-Peru High School; and

WHEREAS, Coach Cruz joined the coaching staff of the Hall High School freshmen and sophomore boys baseball team, the Red Demons, in Spring Valley in 2020, where he has coached for the past four years; his last game as coach with the Red Demons ended with a 20-6 victory, with the team winning their final 10 games, finishing 21-6 overall; and

WHEREAS, Coach Cruz has coached and mentored countless young players during his 51 years of coaching and left a deep impression at each place he has served; and

WHEREAS, Coach Cruz has expressed plans to watch his grandchildren play baseball post-retirement; and

WHEREAS, Coach Cruz is the husband of Christine (Andreoni) Cruz, and they have four children, Craig, Lisa, Mary Rae, and Billy; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate John Cruz on the occasion of his retirement as a baseball coach after 51 years, and we thank him for his commitment and dedication to the game, the teams, and the players; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Coach Cruz as an expression of our esteem and respect.