Pennsylvania Governor. He served as the 42nd Governor of the State of Pennsylvania from 1987 until 1995. Born in Queens, New York, his father was a former coal miner in Scranton, Pennsylvania, he returned there with his family and Robert or ‘Bob' as he was often called would be brought up in that town. During his high school years, he was a standout athlete whom excelled in baseball and basketball. In fact he was scouted by the Philadelphia Phillies and was offered a contract. He turned it down in order to attend the College of the Holy Cross on a basketball scholarship. The program was put on the map by Boston Celtics' guard and Hall of Fame player Bob Cousy whom left to begin his basketball career one year before Casey came to the school. He attained his law degree from George Washington University in 1956 and in 1962 he entered the political arena after winning election to the Pennsylvania State Senate. From 1969 until 1977, he served as Pennsylvania's Auditor General. After three failed attempts to win the governorship (1966, 1970 and 1978), he was successful in 1986 as he defeated the Republican candidate William Scranton, III, (his father was the former Governor of Pennsylvania) during a bitter campaign. Ironically, Scranton's family is named for the town in which Casey was raised. During his tenure, he prioritized making healthcare affordable for children with the CHIP Program (Children's Health Insurance Program) and fought the auto insurance industry in an effort to lower the costs of coverage. He was a proponent of the environment as he supported recycling and pushed for clean water legislation. He also made education a major part of his initiative. A Pro-Life advocate, Casey authorized the Abortion Control Act of 1989 for which made it necessary for parental consent to be given for minors. As a result of his hard line stance on the matter, he was excluded from addressing delegates at the 1992 Democratic National Convention. During his second term in office, Casey was diagnosed with a rare condition called Appalachian Familiar Amylidosis, a disease in which proteins destroy the organs. He received a heart and liver transplant on June 13th, 1993 and during his recovery, Lieutenant Governor Mark Singel assumed the role of acting governor over a six-month period. Casey died from an infection on May 30th, 2000. His son Robert ‘Bob' Casey, Jr., went onto represent Pennsylvania in the US Senate.