Spong entered Virginia politics as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1954 to 1955, and afterwards as a member of the Virginia State Senate from 1956 to 1966. While in the Senate, Spong was chairman of the Virginia Commission on Public Education from 1958 to 1962.
Spong during his tenure in the U.S. Senate
National politicsedit
In 1966, Spong was personally recruited by President Lyndon Johnson to mount a primary challenge against 20-year incumbent Senator A. Willis Robertson. Johnson was angered at Robertson's opposition to the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts. Spong defeated Robertson in one of the biggest upsets in Virginia political history and breezed to victory in November. Robertson resigned on December 31, 1966; GovernorMills Godwin appointed Spong to the seat, giving Spong higher seniority than other senators elected that November. Spong's primary victory marked the beginning of the end of the Byrd Organization's long dominance of Virginia politics. Spong's Senate career was short-lived; in 1972, he was narrowly defeated for reelection by 8th District Representative William L. Scott.
Spong would be the last Democrat elected to the Senate from Virginia until Chuck Robb's victory in 1988. Spong's Senate colleague, Harry F. Byrd Jr., became an independent in 1970.
A popular Internet joke claims[1] that William B. Spong of Virginia and Hiram Fong of Hawaii sponsored a bill recommending the mass ringing of church bells to welcome the arrival in Hong Kong of the U.S. Table Tennis Team after its tour of Communist China. The bill failed to pass, cheating the Senate out of passing the Spong-Fong Hong Kong Ping Pong Ding Dong Bell Bill.
In fact, Senator Spong never sponsored such a bill, but he did have some fun with the press soon after arriving in Washington, D.C. As described in an article by his cousin, the Rt. Rev. John Shelby Spong, Senator Spong:
was invited with the other freshman senators to address the National Press Club. Fearful that someone on radio or television would call him Senator Sponge, he used his brief five-minute introductory speech to that body to secure proper name identification. His first act as a senator, he announced in his southern drawl, would be to introduce a bill to protect the rights of songwriters in Hong Kong. He would be joined in this effort by the senior senator of Louisiana, Russell Long, and the senior senator from Hawaii, Hiram Fong, and together they would present the Long Fong Spong Hong Kong Song Bill. His name was never mispronounced by members of the media.[citation needed]
Other sources crediting Spong with the humorous bill name suggest different contexts.[2][3]
Familyedit
Spong married the former Virginia Wise Galliford. They had two children, Martha and Tom.
Referencesedit
^"Spong-Fong Ping-Pong | End the War on Freedom". etwof.com. Retrieved 2017-11-06.
^Marjorie Hunter (February 11, 1982). "A Law By Any Other Name". New York Times. Retrieved June 25, 2021. Some few years ago, members of Congress played a game, conjuring up preposterous names for bills.
^Samuel P. King (August 22, 2004). "A good son of Hawaii, Fong left his mark on many lives". Honolulu Star Bulletin. Retrieved June 25, 2021. (incorrectly claiming the bill was not only introduced but "passed")
Whitley, Tyler & Schapiro, Jeff E. (October 9, 1997), , Richmond Times-Dispatch, archived from the original on October 11, 1997
Freehling, Allison (October 9, 1997), "Spong, Ex-U.S. Senator And W&M Law Dean, Dies At 77", Daily Press, Newport News, Virginia
Friddell, Guy (October 9, 1997), , The Virginian-Pilot, Hampton Roads, Virginia, archived from the original on October 11, 1997
Spong, John Shelby (May/June, 1998). "My Cousin Bill". Human Quest, p. 3. page
william, spong, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, september, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources William Spong Jr news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message William Belser Spong Jr September 29 1920 October 8 1997 was an American Democratic Party politician and a United States Senator who represented the state of Virginia from 1966 to 1973 William B Spong Jr 17th Dean of William amp Mary Law SchoolIn office 1976 1985Preceded byJames P Whyte Jr Succeeded byTimothy J SullivanUnited States Senatorfrom VirginiaIn office December 31 1966 January 3 1973Preceded byA Willis RobertsonSucceeded byWilliam L ScottMember of the Virginia Senate from the 3rd districtIn office January 12 1966 December 31 1966Serving with William Hodges amp William KellamPreceded byGordon F MarshSucceeded byWillard J MoodyMember of the Virginia Senate from the 10th districtIn office January 11 1956 January 12 1966Preceded byJames D HagoodSucceeded byEdward E WilleyMember of the Virginia House of Delegates from Portsmouth CityIn office January 13 1954 January 11 1956Serving with John A MacKenziePreceded byR Winston BainSucceeded byWillard J MoodyPersonal detailsBornWilliam Belser Spong Jr 1920 09 29 September 29 1920Portsmouth Virginia U S DiedOctober 8 1997 1997 10 08 aged 77 Portsmouth Virginia U S Political partyDemocraticSpouseVirginia Wise GallifordAlma materHampden Sydney CollegeUniversity of VirginiaUniversity of EdinburghSignatureMilitary serviceAllegiance United StatesBranch serviceU S Army Air ForcesYears of service1942 1945Unit93rd Bombardment GroupBattles warsWorld War II Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life and education 1 2 State politics 1 3 National politics 1 4 Later life and death 2 Personal life 2 1 Humor 2 2 Family 3 References 4 External linksBiography editEarly life and education edit Spong was born in Portsmouth Virginia and attended public schools Hampden Sydney College in Hampden Sydney the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and the University of Edinburgh in Scotland He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1947 commencing practice in Portsmouth soon thereafter During World War II Spong served in the Army Air Corps Eighth Air Force from 1942 to 1945 After the war Spong was a lecturer in law and government at the College of William and Mary from 1948 to 1949 State politics edit Spong entered Virginia politics as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1954 to 1955 and afterwards as a member of the Virginia State Senate from 1956 to 1966 While in the Senate Spong was chairman of the Virginia Commission on Public Education from 1958 to 1962 nbsp Spong during his tenure in the U S SenateNational politics edit In 1966 Spong was personally recruited by President Lyndon Johnson to mount a primary challenge against 20 year incumbent Senator A Willis Robertson Johnson was angered at Robertson s opposition to the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts Spong defeated Robertson in one of the biggest upsets in Virginia political history and breezed to victory in November Robertson resigned on December 31 1966 Governor Mills Godwin appointed Spong to the seat giving Spong higher seniority than other senators elected that November Spong s primary victory marked the beginning of the end of the Byrd Organization s long dominance of Virginia politics Spong s Senate career was short lived in 1972 he was narrowly defeated for reelection by 8th District Representative William L Scott Spong would be the last Democrat elected to the Senate from Virginia until Chuck Robb s victory in 1988 Spong s Senate colleague Harry F Byrd Jr became an independent in 1970 Later life and death edit After his Senate career Spong returned to the practice of law and also served as a law professor and the dean of the Marshall Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary from 1976 to 1985 In 1976 Spong was president of the Virginia Bar Association He was appointed interim president of Old Dominion University in 1988 and was a resident of Portsmouth until his death He is interred at the University of Virginia Cemetery in Charlottesville Virginia Personal life editHumor edit A popular Internet joke claims 1 that William B Spong of Virginia and Hiram Fong of Hawaii sponsored a bill recommending the mass ringing of church bells to welcome the arrival in Hong Kong of the U S Table Tennis Team after its tour of Communist China The bill failed to pass cheating the Senate out of passing the Spong Fong Hong Kong Ping Pong Ding Dong Bell Bill In fact Senator Spong never sponsored such a bill but he did have some fun with the press soon after arriving in Washington D C As described in an article by his cousin the Rt Rev John Shelby Spong Senator Spong was invited with the other freshman senators to address the National Press Club Fearful that someone on radio or television would call him Senator Sponge he used his brief five minute introductory speech to that body to secure proper name identification His first act as a senator he announced in his southern drawl would be to introduce a bill to protect the rights of songwriters in Hong Kong He would be joined in this effort by the senior senator of Louisiana Russell Long and the senior senator from Hawaii Hiram Fong and together they would present the Long Fong Spong Hong Kong Song Bill His name was never mispronounced by members of the media citation needed Other sources crediting Spong with the humorous bill name suggest different contexts 2 3 Family edit Spong married the former Virginia Wise Galliford They had two children Martha and Tom References edit Spong Fong Ping Pong End the War on Freedom etwof com Retrieved 2017 11 06 Marjorie Hunter February 11 1982 A Law By Any Other Name New York Times Retrieved June 25 2021 Some few years ago members of Congress played a game conjuring up preposterous names for bills Samuel P King August 22 2004 A good son of Hawaii Fong left his mark on many lives Honolulu Star Bulletin Retrieved June 25 2021 incorrectly claiming the bill was not only introduced but passed Whitley Tyler amp Schapiro Jeff E October 9 1997 Former senator dead Richmond Times Dispatch archived from the original on October 11 1997 Freehling Allison October 9 1997 Spong Ex U S Senator And W amp M Law Dean Dies At 77 Daily Press Newport News Virginia Friddell Guy October 9 1997 Former U S senator and ODU president William Spong dies at 77 The Virginian Pilot Hampton Roads Virginia archived from the original on October 11 1997 Spong John Shelby May June 1998 My Cousin Bill Human Quest p 3 pageUnited States Congress William Spong Jr id S000739 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress External links editParty political officesPreceded byA Willis Robertson Democratic nominee for U S Senator from Virginia Class 2 1966 1972 Succeeded byAndrew P MillerU S SenatePreceded byA Willis Robertson U S senator Class 2 from VirginiaDecember 31 1966 January 3 1973 Served alongside Harry F Byrd Jr Succeeded byWilliam L ScottAcademic officesPreceded byJames P Whyte Jr Dean of the College of William amp Mary Law School1976 1985 Succeeded byTimothy J SullivanPreceded byDr Joseph M Marchello President of Old Dominion University1989 1990 Succeeded byDr James V Koch Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Spong Jr amp oldid 1171237491, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
