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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives have learned with profound sadness of the
4passing of Daniel "Coach Cal" Callahan; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Coach Cal's death at the age of 52 came much too
6soon after a battle with cancer described by those who watched
7as "courageous" and "inspirational"; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Coach Cal carved a career of excellence that
9stretched from the youth and high school baseball diamonds of
10Springfield to the coach boxes of Lanphier and Springfield High
11Schools to the campuses of Eastern Illinois University and
12Southern Illinois University in Carbondale; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Throughout his distinguished career, Coach Cal
14grew to be a person who mentored thousands, steered more than
1520 players into the Major League Baseball draft, and became the
16second most victorious skipper at SIU-C; and
 
17    WHEREAS, While Coach Cal's on-field accomplishments are
18notable, it is his contributions to the student athletes who
19remember his efforts as that of "a second dad" or
20"life-changing" or "something to be never forgotten" that will
21be most cherished; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Coach Cal's final years, which could have seen him
2shielding himself from the public eye while battling the
3ravages of his disease, were spent rejecting "excuses" and
4placing his family, players, and community first; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
6Representatives join Coach Cal's family, friends, and fans to
7mourn his passing and recall that Coach Cal will be forever
8remembered as a leader, standing at the edge of the dugout at
9Abe Martin Field encouraging extra effort and comforting the
10near misses; therefore, be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
12NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
13mourn the passing of Daniel "Coach Cal" Callahan and remember
14him fondly for his contributions to the State of Illinois in
15making it a better place to live; and be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
17presented to Coach Cal's wife, Stacy; his daughters, Alexa and
18Carly; and his parents, Ann and Gene.