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HR 8495

HOUSE RESOLUTION HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF RHODE ISLAND AND MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ALL-TIME GREAT, HALL OF FAMER NAPOLEON "NAP" LAJOIE

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Chris Blazejewski and 9 co-sponsors

Rhode Island honors Nap Lajoie’s life and Baseball Hall of Fame legacy, highlighting his RI roots, peak AL Triple Crown year, and lasting impact on the sport.

04/30/2026 House read and passed
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Bill Summary · HR 8495

Summary of Bill HR 8495 (Rhode Island, 2026)

Overview

  • Type: House Resolution (H.R.)
  • Session/Jurisdiction: Rhode Island, 2026
  • Title: House Resolution Honoring the Life and Legacy of Rhode Island and Major League Baseball All-Time Great, Hall of Famer Napoleon "Nap" Lajoie
  • Introduced by: Representatives J. Brien, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale, Phillips, Casey, Santucci, Potter, Cruz, Kennedy
  • Date Introduced: April 30, 2026
  • Current Status: Referred to and passed by the House (April 30, 2026)

Purpose and Intent

  • To honor and recognize the life, legacy, and achievements of Napoléon “Nap” Lajoie, a Rhode Island and Woonsocket native who had a storied career in Major League Baseball (MLB) and is a Baseball Hall of Fame inductee.
  • The resolution highlights Lajoie’s biographical background, professional accomplishments, and long-standing impact on the sport.

Key Provisions and Provisions Details

  • Biographical Recitation: Details Lajoie’s birth (September 5, 1874, Woonsocket, RI), family background, and early work life in textile mills.
  • Professional Baseball Career:
    • Early career in semi-professional baseball; notable performance with the Fall River Indians (New England League).
    • MLB debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1896; initial position at first base, then second base; rookie batting average around .326.
    • Subsequent seasons with strong batting averages, including .363 and leading league statistics in doubles and RBIs.
    • 1901: Moves to the Philadelphia Athletics (American League); achieves a historic .426 batting average (the highest in American League history at the time) and leads in multiple categories, winning the AL Triple Crown (batting average, home runs, RBIs) and leading the majors in several metrics (AVG, doubles, hits, runs, on-base percentage, slugging, total bases).
    • 1903-1904: Returns to Cleveland; continues to lead AL in batting average; 1903–1904 era coincides with Cleveland adopting the team nickname “Naps” in honor of Lajoie.
    • Later career with Cleveland through 1914, and final seasons with the Philadelphia Athletics (retired after 1916).
  • Defense: Noted as an excellent defensive second baseman.
  • Statistics and Legacy:
    • Career totals include a .338 batting average, 3,243 hits, 657 doubles, 1,599 RBIs, 1,504 runs scored, and a .380 on-base percentage.
    • Led the AL in batting average five times; won the 1901 AL Triple Crown.
    • Modern sabermetric context (Wins Above Replacement) recognizes Lajoie as the best everyday position player in the AL in seven seasons (1901, 1903, 1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1910).
    • Hall of Fame: Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937, among the second group inducted; voted highly in the inaugural era of the Hall of Fame opening (1939).
  • Cultural Footnote: Included in Ogden Nash’s 1949 poem “Line-Up for Yesterday.”

Who/What Is Affected

  • Recognition and Commemoration: Rhode Island’s official recognition of Nap Lajoie’s life and achievements.
  • State Policy/Procedural Action: The Secretary of State is authorized to transmit a certified copy of the resolution to Dr. Gregory Rubano, Chair of the Unearthing Our Treasure: Napoleon Lajoie campaign, signaling a formal commendation and presentation of the tribute.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Process: The resolution was introduced in April 2026 and promptly read and passed by the Rhode Island House on the same day (April 30, 2026).
  • Next Steps: With House passage, the resolution would typically proceed to the Senate for consideration, if applicable, and then to the Governor as part of the formal acknowledgment process (the PR text indicates the authorization for the Secretary of State to transmit copies to relevant campaign organizers).

Notable Details

  • The bill is a ceremonial resolution, focusing on tribute rather than creating new law or financial obligations.
  • It underscores Lajoie’s Rhode Island roots (Woonsocket) and his enduring place in baseball history, linking local heritage to national sports achievement.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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