Marvin Mandel, Governor                        1817

two weeks ago—the man walked into the Baltimore AP office for
the final time. At 7:45 a.m. on that date, as he joked with the news-
men in the office, his great heart gave out and George Bowen died
less than an hour later.

" There's little to add to the many tributes already paid to Gabby
Bowen. He was legend in Maryland—the acknowledged dean of politi-
cal writers, the best sportswriter of them all. He quarterbacked a
breaking news story with confidence and ease. And all the time, he
was teaching, teaching, teaching.

" 'Gabby was described to me by one person as unique, and perhaps
that is the best word. He was the epitome of a professional newsman:
As an individual, he was blunt and candid and you always knew his
opinion. But when you read a story on a controversial subject written
by Gabby, you didn't know whether he was black or white, Republican
or Democrat, liberal or conservative. Nothing infuriated him more
than what he considered a slanted story.

" 'Gabby beautifully mixed the best of his worlds, his loves: his
family and his job. He enjoyed coming to work, and he enjoyed going
home. He was most happy when he was on the trail of a story—
especially in the middle of the General Assembly. He was like a
caged lion when he was strapped to a desk.

" 'Gabby will be missed. Not only because of his prowess as a pro,
but perhaps more deeply because of the person he was—totally
straight-forward, with a finely honed sense of humor, sophisticated
and yet very down to earth, a man of class.

" 'George Bowen was not old when he died, only 55. Yet those
years were years that George lived, every day. Perhaps the best
memorial to George Bowen is a heritage that continues today, and
perhaps will continue for many years. Rather than an inscribed
stone, rather than a memorial scholarship, the effect of George
Bowen's existence will continue through the minds of many newsmen
across the country. These are the hundreds of newsmen who grew
up on George Bowen's knee, who had to live up to his stringent de-
mands before they made the grade. This is Gabby's heritage—a
stable of newsmen trained to think and write and report stories
made up of facts. And if these Bowen-trained newsmen can pass
their thought process on to today's beginners, the Bowen heritage can
continue even longer. I can think of no greater tribute to a man than
this—his positive effect on a profession as important as the dis-
semination of news.

" 'George Bowen lived a full life, while giving much to the pro-
fession, and taking much joy from it. He was a pro. He was a man.
He lived by Gibran's lament, "Yesterday is only today's memory;
tomorrow is only today's hope." And he lived by his own words,
today is the first day of the rest of my life.' "

The members of the General Assembly of Maryland, in recogni-
tion of their friendship with Gabby Bowen and their long and fruitful
association with him, record this expression of regret; now, there-
fore, be it

Resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the deepest
sympathies of every member of the General Assembly are expressed