ERIC DICKERSON, ANDY GRANATELLI, BOB MATHIAS,
EARLIE FIRES, BILL SHARMAN AND FRED ROGGIN HONORED AT 14TH ANNUAL
SPORTS LEGENDS AWARDS FEBRUARY 26
Tribute Dinner Hosted by ABC’s Al Michaels to Benefit
The Paralysis Project of America
[Photos]
LOS
ANGELES (Feb. 26, 2005) – The
14th Annual Sports Legends Awards, presented by The Paralysis
Project of America, honored football’s Eric Dickerson,
auto racing’s Andy Granatelli, Olympic track and field’s Bob Mathias,
horse racing’s Earlie Fires, and sports broadcasting’s Fred Roggin
in ceremonies held Saturday, Feb. 26, at The Omni Hotel in Los Angeles.
Hosted
by ABC Sportscaster Al Michaels, the event also featured a special tribute
to basketball’s Bill Sharman, who was presented the annual Wooden Award
by Coach John R. Wooden.
Honorees
for the Sports Legends Awards are selected annually for their
contributions to sports by the Paralysis Project of America’s
Business and Sports Councils. Headed by Don Newcombe and Bob Seagren, the
Sports Council includes former
Sports Legends Award winners Art Aragon, Pepper Davis, Roy Firestone, Jim
Hill, Julie
Krone Hovdey, Ann Meyers-Drysdale, Rafer Johnson, Jim Knaub, Jack Kramer,
Joe Morgan, Bill Sharman, Mark Spitz, Al Unser, Rogie Vachon, Jamaal Wilkes
and
John Wooden.
In
addition to the six honorees, Don and Roman Reed were presented
with the Shoemaker Media Awareness Award for their activism
in passing legislation
to fund stem
cell research at the State level. Sy and Reva Alban also received the
Donald Watt Award for outstanding volunteer service to the
organization.
Each
year, the Sports Legends Awards offer the public a rare opportunity
to meet and mingle with well-loved
sports greats who once electrified
audiences with
their athletic performances. In addition to the Awards ceremony, the
festivities include a reception, silent auction, and an acclaimed multimedia
program
with
archival film footage of each honoree, produced by Emmy Awards producer
and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Vice President John Leverence.
For
additional information, contact The Paralysis Project of America
at (323) 663-6554. Net proceeds benefit The Paralysis Project of
America, founded
by the parents of young people paralyzed by spinal cord injury,
along with
others dedicated
to finding the ultimate cure for paralysis.
#
# #
CONTACT:
Anna Miranda/Bonnie Winings/Barry Smith
Shepley Winings Diamond P.R.
(818) 760-7131
amiranda@shepwinpr.com / bwinings@shepwinpr.com
/ bsmith@shepwinpr.com
Photos
from the 2005 Sports Legends Awards
Former Legends join the 2005 Honorees for a photo.
Standing (from left) Gary Stevens, Bob Seagren, Parnelli
Jones, Bob
Mathias, Al Michaels, Don Newcombe, Eric Dickerson and Earlie
Fires.
Seated (from left) Roman Reed, Andy Granatelli, Bill Sharman,
Fred
Roggin
Coach
John R. Wooden awaits the presentation of the Wooden Award to long time
friend Bill Sharman.
Former Legend Laffit Pincay, attending the event along with many
members of The Jockey's Guild, honor 2005 Sports Legends
Award recipient Earlie Fires.
Al Michaels visits with Bill Sharman during dinner.
Bob
Seagren, Olympic Gold Medalist, presents the Sports Legends Award
to Bob Mathias.
Parnelli Jones (left) and Andy Granatelli share a hug, after
a historic
kiss, on stage at the Sports Legends Awards Dinner.
Eric Dickerson accepts the award from Host and former honoree
Al
Michaels.
Bob and Gwen Mathias share stories with Coach Wooden at the reception
for honorees.
Jockey Legend Gary Stevens welcomes 2005 honoree from horse racing,
Earlie Fires.
Fred Roggin praises the work of The Paralysis Project during
his
acceptance remarks.
