The Michigan Senate on Tuesday adopted a resolution to officially recognize September 19, 2013, as International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

“Thank you, matey,” state Sen. Roger Kahn (R-Saginaw) said on the Senate floor. “Today we have passed speak like a pirate day.”

The resolution noted that International Talk Like a Pirate Day “began humbly in 1995 between two pirate enthusiasts named John Baur and Mark Summers as way to express their individual passion for nautical plundering.”

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The two men celebrated International Talk Like a Pirate Day on their own for seven years before contacting comedian and author Dave Barry in hopes of popularizing the day. Their hopes turned into reality after Barry wrote a column about the day. The swashbuckling holiday was an instant sensation.

“Whereas, As ITLPD has blossomed into a worldwide phenomenon, it is appropriate for the state of Michigan to formally acknowledge this holiday and grant it the recognition it truly deserves. As a Great Lakes state, one of Michigan’s main duties must be promoting worthy maritime initiatives. ITLPD would give Michiganders who feel a strong connection to our Great Lakes an opportunity to properly celebrate beloved maritime activities, past and present,” the resolution added.

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