Senate Resolution No. 871

BY: Senator TEDISCO

HONORING Jim Scott upon the occasion of his
induction into the Schenectady City School District
Athletic Hall of Fame on September 11, 2023

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize and
pay tribute to those outstanding athletes who inspired and brought pride
to their school and community by achieving outstanding success in
competition, attaining unprecedented success and the highest level of
personal achievement; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Jim Scott upon the occasion of his induction into the Schenectady City
School District Athletic Hall of Fame, to be celebrated at its Athletic
Hall of Fame and Reunion Dinner on Monday, September 11, 2023, at Rivers
Casino and Resort, Schenectady, New York; and

WHEREAS, Excellence and success in competitive sports can be
achieved only through strenuous practice, team play and team spirit,
nurtured by dedicated coaching and strategic planning; and

WHEREAS, Athletic competition enhances the moral and physical
development of the young people of this State, preparing them for the
future by instilling in them the value of teamwork, encouraging a
standard of healthy living, imparting a desire for success and
developing a sense of fair play and competition; and

WHEREAS, As an elite track and cross-country runner at Mont Pleasant
High School, Jim Scott was the 1959 State 440-yard champion, setting a
new State record (48.8), breaking the record of Lou Jones, a future
world record holder and Olympic Gold medalist; and

WHEREAS, Jim Scott won the Utica Scholastic Meet 440-yard title in
record time and was ranked 15th in the nation for the 440-yd. run by the
U.S. Track & Field News, along with garnering a fifth overall ranking
in the East; and

WHEREAS, Jim Scott attended college at Alfred, where he was the 1961
New York State Small College 440-yard champion, winning in record time
(49.6), and ran on the school's sprint relay team that finished third in
the Penn Relays that same year; and

WHEREAS, Jim Scott's Alfred team finished 11th in the 1960 NCAA
University Division Cross-Country Championships, just behind Notre Dame,
and also won the State Small College Cross-Country Championship in 1960
and 1961 in addition to a 1962 440-yard State title; and

WHEREAS, This auspicious occasion presents a unique opportunity for
this Legislative Body to recognize and pay tribute to Jim Scott for his
extraordinary athletic accomplishments which are a tribute to his skill,
dedication, and commitment; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when
individuals of such outstanding athletic accomplishments are brought to
our attention, they should be recognized by all the citizens of this
great Empire State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Jim Scott upon the occasion of his induction into the Schenectady
City School District Athletic Hall of Fame on September 11, 2023; and be
it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Jim Scott, and the Schenectady City School District
Athletic Hall of Fame.