THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY CORMAN, ALLOWAY, ARGALL, BAKER, BLAKE, BOSCOLA, BREWSTER, BROWNE, BRUBAKER, COSTA, DINNIMAN, EARLL, EICHELBERGER, ERICKSON, FARNESE, FERLO, FOLMER, FONTANA, GORDNER, GREENLEAF, HUGHES, KASUNIC, KITCHEN, LEACH, McILHINNEY, MENSCH, PICCOLA, PILEGGI, PIPPY, RAFFERTY, ROBBINS, SCARNATI, SCHWANK, SMUCKER, SOLOBAY, STACK, TARTAGLIONE, TOMLINSON, VANCE, VOGEL, WARD, WASHINGTON, WAUGH, D. WHITE, M. WHITE, WILLIAMS, WOZNIAK, YAW AND YUDICHAK, MAY 22, 2012

INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, MAY 22, 2012  

A RESOLUTION

Honoring Hines Ward for his distinguished career in the National

Football League as a wide receiver for the Pittsburgh

Steelers and his outstanding contributions to society as a

representative of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the City of

Pittsburgh and this Commonwealth.

WHEREAS, Hines Ward was born March 8, 1976, in Seoul, South

Korea; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ward played college football at the University

of Georgia and, during his time there, he played wide receiver,

tailback and quarterback; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ward was selected as a third-round draft choice

in the 1998 National Football League draft by the Pittsburgh

Steelers; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ward played his entire professional football

career, which spanned 14 years, with the Pittsburgh Steelers;

and

WHEREAS, During his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mr.

Ward led the team in at least one statistic each year; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ward has earned three team Most Valuable Player

selections, appeared in four Pro Bowls and broken many

Pittsburgh Steelers' team records, including most all-time

receptions, most receptions in a single season and most

consecutive seasons with 1,000 receiving yards; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ward is the only member of the Pittsburgh

Steelers and is only the eighth receiver in National Football

League history to have 1,000 catches in his career; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ward is also only the second player to reach

1,000 career receptions and win multiple Super Bowls; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ward led the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Super

Bowl three times in his career and is a two-time Super Bowl

Champion; and

WHEREAS, In Super Bowl XL, Mr. Ward was named Most Valuable

Player due to his outstanding performance in the Pittsburgh

Steelers' 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in 2006; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ward retired from the National Football League

after an amazing professional career on March 20, 2012; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ward has also been a leader off the field,

dedicating his time to helping to improve the lives of

underprivileged youth in the Pittsburgh and Atlanta, Georgia,

areas through his Helping Hands U.S. Foundation; and

WHEREAS, Helping Hands U.S. Foundation focuses on improving

literacy among children and provides programs and services to

better equip children for achieving success in life; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ward also continues to work in his home country

of South Korea through his Hines Ward Helping Hands Korea

Foundation which is aimed at ending biracial discrimination; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ward has been appointed as the Goodwill

Ambassador to South Korea by the Korean Ministry of Foreign

Affairs and Trade; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ward has also assisted with many other

charitable organizations, including the Highmark Caring

Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Salvation Army, Make-A-

Wish Foundation and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ward has been recognized for his many

contributions which have impacted the lives of children when he

was named the 2008 Walter Payton Man of the Year; therefore be

it 

RESOLVED, That the Senate honor Hines Ward for his

distinguished career in the National Football League as a wide

receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers and his outstanding

contributions to society as a representative of the Pittsburgh

Steelers, the City of Pittsburgh and this Commonwealth.