Sports Luminaries Andre Agassi, Jerry Rice, Scottie Pippen, Helio ...

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Bob Costas Joins as Master of Ceremonies for the 23rd Annual GreatSports Legends Dinner to Benefit The Buoniconti Fund to CureParalysis - September 22nd in New York City
NEW YORK, July 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Sports luminaries andphilanthropy icons will be recognized when they gather at the 23rdAnnual Great Sports Legends Dinner on Monday, September 22, at NewYork's Waldorf=Astoria Hotel. This year, Bob Costas has been namedthe Master of Ceremonies, for the event which benefits theBuoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, a nonprofit organization thatserves as the national fundraising arm of The Miami Project to CureParalysis, the world's largest, most comprehensive spinal cordinjury research center.
The 2008 Great Sports Legends are:
-- Andre Agassi -- former world-ranked #1 professional tennis starwho won eight Grand Slam singles tournaments and an Olympic goldmedal in singles
-- Jerry Rice -- all-time leader in every major statisticalcategory for wide receivers, was selected to the Pro Bowl 13 times(1986-1996, 1998, 2002) and named All-Pro 10 times in his 20 NFLseasons
-- Scottie Pippen -- seven-time NBA All Star and one of the 50greatest players in NBA history who was integral in leading theChicago Bulls, together with Michael Jordan, to six NBAchampionships
-- Joe Gibbs -- Hall of Fame NFL coach and NASCAR Championship teamowner. Was the 20th and 26th head coach in the history of theWashington Redskins.
-- Helio Castroneves -- one of the top drivers in North Americanopen- wheel racing. Winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2001 and2002.
-- Richard "Goose" Gossage -- former New York Yankees pitcher whowill be inducted into the Hall of Fame in July 2008
-- Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini -- World Boxing Association lightweightchampion for two years in the 1980s
-- Angelo Dundee -- boxing cornerman who has worked with 15 worldboxing champions, including Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, GeorgeForeman and Carmen Basilio
-- Gabrielle Reece -- American professional volleyball player,sports presenter and former fashion model
This spectacular annual event is expected to sell out to over 1,300guests and raise millions of dollars for spinal cord injuryresearch. The event begins at 6:00 p.m. with a cocktail receptionand silent auction, followed by dinner, which will include a liveauction of one-of-a-kind sports memorabilia and other unique items.
"Each year we are honored by the presence of the most eliteathletes in sports," says Nick Buoniconti, founder of TheBuoniconti Fund and defensive captain of the undefeated 1972 MiamiDolphins. "This year's group of honorees represent such a highcaliber of sports, we are truly thrilled that they will be joiningus for yet another spectacular event. We have made significantsteps this year towards finding a cure for spinal cord injuries.That's why we keep doing this."
Over the past two decades, the Great Sports Legends Dinner hashonored 337 of the world's greatest athletes and individuals. Theyare recognized for their contributions to the world of sports andacknowledged for their commitment to high ethical standards, totheir community, worthy causes and achievements as positive rolemodels. Their participation has helped raise more than $40 millionfor The Miami Project's spinal cord injury research programs.Former honorees include Earvin "Magic" Johnson, John Elway, MarkMessier, Gary Player, Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan, MickeyMantle, Jack Nicklaus, Gloria Estefan, Muhammad Ali, Wayne Gretzky,Patrick Ewing, Walter Cronkite, Mia Hamm, Dan Marino and JoeDiMaggio.
In 1985, Barth A. Green, MD and NFL Hall of Fame linebacker NickBuoniconti helped found The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis afterNick's son, Marc, sustained a spinal cord injury during a collegefootball game. Today, The Miami Project is the world's largest,most comprehensive spinal cord injury research center, housed inthe Lois Pope LIFE Center, a Center of Excellence at the Universityof Miami Miller School of Medicine. The Miami Project'sinternational team of more than 200 scientists, researchers andclinicians take innovative approaches to the challenge of spinalcord injury. Committed to finding a cure for paralysis resultingfrom spinal cord injury and to seeing millions worldwide walkagain, the Buoniconti family established The Buoniconti Fund toCure Paralysis in 1992, a non-profit organization devoted toassisting The Miami Project achieve its national and internationalgoals.
Tickets start at $850 per person. Sponsorships and opportunities tosit with Legends are available. Tables and tickets can be purchasedby phone at (305) 243-4656, (212) 245-6570 or online at http://www.miamiproject.miami.edu/x1415.xml .
SOURCE The Miami Project/The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis
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