--- title: SR 725. Edward Crook Jr. Gymnasium; celebrate dedication collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr725 cite_as: SR 725, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr725 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr725.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr725/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72975 date: 2026-02-09 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr724.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr726.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr725.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 725 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-02-09 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Kenya Wicks - Ed Harbison - Tonya Anderson - Chuck Payne - Michael Rhett - RaShaun Kemp - Sonya Halpern - Sally Harrell - Brian Strickland - Jason T. Dickerson - Derek Mallow - Randal Mangham - Josh McLaurin - Jaha Howard text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR725/2025 upstream_id: 2111527 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - Fort Benning - military honors - Olympic athletes - Columbus Georgia - commemorative resolution --- # SR 725. Edward Crook Jr. Gymnasium; celebrate dedication ## Text Senate Resolution 725 By: Senators Wicks of the 34th, Harbison of the 15th, Anderson of the 43rd, Payne of the 54th, Rhett of the 33rd and others A RESOLUTION Celebrating the dedication of the Edward Crook Jr. Gymnasium; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, affectionately known as Eddie, Edward Crook, Jr., became Columbus, Georgia's Olympic gold medalist at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy; and WHEREAS, competing in middleweight boxing, Eddie was part of a historic and dynamic United States Olympic boxing team that included Muhammad Ali and Wilbur McClure; and WHEREAS, at age 31, Eddie was reportedly the oldest United States Army boxer to ever win an Olympic gold medal, an extraordinary achievement that crowned an already distinguished athletic career; and WHEREAS, following his Olympic triumph, Eddie retired from competitive boxing and continued his service with the United States Army, where his athletic excellence extended to football; and WHEREAS, Eddie served with the United States Army for 30 years, achieving the rank of command sergeant major after serving two tours in Vietnam as well as earning the Silver Star, two Purple Hearts, and a Bronze Star; and WHEREAS, Eddie supported the boxing program at the Fort Benning, where he established a training initiative known as the "Smokers"; and WHEREAS, on February 27, 2026, the Edward Crook Jr. Gymnasium, located on Fort Benning, will be dedicated in honor of Edward "Eddie" Crook, Jr.'s, lifetime of athletic success, service, and leadership. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body celebrate the dedication of the Edward Crook Jr. Gymnasium and honor the life of Edward "Eddie" Crook, Jr. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the family of Edward "Eddie" Crook, Jr. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia Senate resolution celebrates the dedication of the Edward Crook Jr. Gymnasium at Fort Benning, honoring the Olympic boxing champion and longtime Army veteran. ### Plain-language summary This resolution from the Georgia Senate honors Edward Eddie Crook Jr., a Columbus, Georgia native who won an Olympic gold medal in middleweight boxing at the 1960 Rome Games as part of a US Army boxing team that also included Muhammad Ali. The resolution recounts his 30 year Army career, his combat service in Vietnam, his medals including a Silver Star, two Purple Hearts, and a Bronze Star, and his work supporting the Fort Benning boxing program through a training initiative called the Smokers. The resolution notes that on February 27, 2026, a gymnasium at Fort Benning will be dedicated in his honor as the Edward Crook Jr. Gymnasium. The Senate resolves to celebrate that dedication and honor his life, and directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to his family. ### What it does - Formally states the Senate's recognition of Edward Crook Jr.'s Olympic boxing win and military career. - Celebrates the February 27, 2026 dedication of the Edward Crook Jr. Gymnasium at Fort Benning. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute a copy of the resolution to Crook's family. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Edward Crook Jr.'s family, who will receive a copy, and honors him personally. It also reflects on the Fort Benning military community and the Columbus, Georgia area connected to his service and legacy. ### Why it matters The resolution carries no legal or regulatory effect on Georgians generally. Its significance is symbolic and commemorative, formally recording the Georgia Senate's recognition of a local Olympic champion and veteran as a gymnasium at Fort Benning is named for him. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses detail Crook's 1960 Olympic gold medal, his 30 year Army career, combat decorations, and his Fort Benning boxing training program called the Smokers. - The resolving clause states the Senate celebrates the gymnasium dedication and honors Crook's life. - A further resolution directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide a copy of the resolution to Crook's family. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-02-09) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-02-09) - Sponsors: Kenya Wicks, Ed Harbison, Tonya Anderson, Chuck Payne, Michael Rhett, RaShaun Kemp, Sonya Halpern, Sally Harrell, Brian Strickland, Jason T. Dickerson, Derek Mallow, Randal Mangham, Josh McLaurin, Jaha Howard - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72975 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr725.md?full=1