WHEREAS, For Michael A. Palermo there has always been baseball. He enjoyed baseball in high school, college, when he was a management trainee for Sears, while playing a guitar, and while selling insurance. The game was always a large part of his life. Ironically, through his more than 40 years of involvement with the national pastime, he never dreamed of owning a baseball team. That has changed as he is now the owner and CEO of Rhode Island's newest professional sports team, the Tiger Sharks; and

WHEREAS, In this its inaugural season, competing in the Class A Independent Northeast Baseball League, the Rhode Island Tiger Sharks are playing 40 home and 40 away games against the Albany (N.Y.) Diamond Dogs, the Adirondack (Glen Falls, N.Y.) Lumberjacks, the Newburgh (N.Y.) Night Hawks, the Elmira, (N.Y.) Pioneers and the Bangor (Maine) Blue Ox; and

WHEREAS, Calling West Warwick's 1,500 seat John E. McCarthy Memorial Field in Riverpoint Park home, the Rhode Island Tiger Sharks plan to attract fans by offering a congenial family atmosphere and reasonable prices. As the black and orange clad Tiger Sharks work to earn the loyalty and affection of Rhode Island's knowledgable baseball fans, this Senate wishes them all the best as they strive to become a part of the state's rich sports history; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby welcomes the Rhode Island Tiger Sharks to the Ocean State's sports scene by proclaiming July 11, 1996 as "RHODE ISLAND TIGER SHARK DAY"; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Michael A. Palermo.