THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY YOUNGBLOOD, ADOLPH, CRUZ, BARRAR, BEAR, BEYER, BISHOP, BRENNAN, BROOKS, BROWN, CLYMER, COHEN, D. COSTA, DALLY, DENLINGER, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, J. EVANS, FLECK, FRANKEL, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GRUCELA, HARHART, HELM, HENNESSEY, HOUGHTON, JOHNSON, JOSEPHS, W. KELLER, KILLION, KIRKLAND, KORTZ, MAHONEY, MANDERINO, MANN, McGEEHAN, MELIO, MICOZZIE, MILLARD, MOUL, MYERS, D. O'BRIEN, M. O'BRIEN, OLIVER, PARKER, PAYTON, PERZEL, PHILLIPS, QUINN, REICHLEY, ROEBUCK, ROSS, SABATINA, SAINATO, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SHAPIRO, SIPTROTH, STABACK, J. TAYLOR, THOMAS, VEREB, VULAKOVICH, WATERS, WATSON, WHEATLEY, FARRY, WILLIAMS AND CALTAGIRONE, JUNE 30, 2009

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, JUNE 30, 2009  

A RESOLUTION

Honoring the life and service of Action News Sports Director

Gary Papa and expressing sincere condolences upon his death. 

WHEREAS, Gary Papa was born in Buffalo, New York, and began

his broadcasting career as a morning news anchor while a student

at Cornell University; and

WHEREAS, Gary Papa received his undergraduate degree in

history and political science at Cornell University, and later

obtained his law degree from the University of Buffalo Law

School; and

WHEREAS, Gary Papa started his sportscasting career in 1976

in Buffalo and Steubenville, Ohio, before joining the Action

News team in Philadelphia in 1981; and

WHEREAS, Gary Papa spent the first nine years of his Action

News career as the weekend sports anchor, often spending three

days a week reporting from the field covering the Phillies,

Flyers, Sixers and Eagles; and

WHEREAS, Beginning in 1983, Gary Papa hosted the long-running

weekend show, Prime Time; and 

WHEREAS, In 1990, Gary Papa was named Action News Sports

Director, which was a position he held until his untimely death;

and

WHEREAS, Gary Papa announced on air in 2004 that he had been

fighting prostate cancer for a year; and

WHEREAS, Even as cancer visibly took its toll on Gary Papa,

he continued to deliver sports news to Philadelphians as often

as he could, while serving as cochairman of the annual Run 4

Your Life Father's Day benefit on the Parkway for the Foundation

for Breast and Prostate Cancer; and 

WHEREAS, Gary Papa passed away on June 19, 2009, at 54 years

of age after a five-year battle with prostate cancer, leaving

behind his wife Kathleen, two sons, Tucker and Nathaniel, his

parents and a brother; and

WHEREAS, Gary Papa's zeal for sharing sports news with the

residents of the City of Brotherly Love merits the appreciation

and gratitude of the House of Representatives; therefore be it 

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor the life of

Gary Papa and express condolences upon his death on June 19,

2009; and be it further 

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to

Ms. Kathleen Papa.