Hall of Fame Class of 2011 to be Honored at The Legends Ball
On the eve of the 2011 U.S. Open Women’s Final, a who’s who of the tennis industry will gather at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City to pay tribute to the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Class of 2011 Inductees Andre Agassi and Peachy Kellmeyer, to honor additional contributors to the sport, and to celebrate the great game of tennis. Proceeds of The Legends Ball, which has been held annually since 1980, will benefit the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum and support its mission of preserving the history of the game, honoring the legends and inspiring the future. Hall of Famers scheduled to attend include Agassi, Kellmeyer, Chris Evert, Tracy Austin, Martina Navratilova, Tony Trabert, Donald Dell, and many more.
In addition to honoring the Class of 2011, 13-time Emmy Award winning sportscaster Dick Enberg will be presented the Eugene L. Scott Award and the Campbell Soup Company will receive the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Award, in recognition of their many years of support for the sport of tennis at varying levels.
Former WTA Tour pro and Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Mary Carillo will serve as emcee for the event. Mark Ein of Washington, D.C., Mike and Becky Goss of Westport, Conn., and Bob Jeffrey of New York City are co-chairs of the event. Special guests scheduled to attend include Grammy Award-winning singer Marc Cohn and his wife, ABC News journalist Elizabeth Vargas.
An additional highlight of the evening will be special displays around the room celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Fila brand. A longtime partner of tennis, Fila has been a constant presence at some of the most exciting moments in tennis, ranging from Bjorn Borg’s Wimbledon victories to Monica Seles’ French Open win. During The Legends Ball, displays around the room will showcase some of the iconic brand’s most memorable pieces, which were worn by legends like Borg and Seles, as well as modern styles worn by tennis superstar Kim Clijsters.
"During one of the most exciting weeks on the tennis calendar, the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum is pleased to invite tennis enthusiasts to join us in New York City to celebrate the accomplishments of our recent inductees, Andre Agassi and Peachy Kellmeyer," said Christopher E. Clouser, chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. "The Legends Ball is an opportunity to pay tribute to the outstanding contributors to the sport of tennis who have played an instrumental role in its growth, and both Dick Enberg and Campbell Soup Company are at the very top of that list. We look forward to an unforgettable celebration of tennis in support of our mission to preserve the history of the sport, and we extend our appreciation to our co-chairs Mark Ein, Mike and Becky Goss, and Bob Jeffrey for their support and leadership of the 2011 Legends Ball."
The evening will feature a robust live and silent auction including VIP experiences at the finals of all four Grand Slams in 2012, autographed memorabilia from tennis legends including Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, John McEnroe and others, luxurious vacations, exclusive event tickets, and much more. The auction may be previewed on www.biddingforgood.com/tennisfameauction.
In celebration of their Hall of Fame induction this past July, speaking programs and video presentations will pay tribute to Andre Agassi, former world number one and eight-time grand slam tournament champion, and Peachy Kellmeyer, an influential tennis executive whose vision, dedication and hard work has been a driving force behind the growth of women’s pro tennis since the 1970s.
On the weekend of his 12th and final U.S. Open broadcast, legendary sportscaster Dick Enberg will be presented with Eugene L. Scott Award. Presented annually in memory of the late founder and publisher of Tennis Week magazine, the Scott Award is given to an individual who embodies his commitment to communicating honestly and critically about the game, and who has had a significant impact on the tennis world. In addition to having broadcast all four tennis Grand Slams for many years, during his 50-year career, Enberg has been the voice of four Summer Olympics, Super Bowls, The Masters, The PGA Championship, the Breeders Cup and many more major sports events. His poignant delivery has brought a vivid impression of the energy and emotion of some of the biggest events in sports from courts, fields, and courses around the world to living rooms across the nation.
Campbell Soup Company will be presented the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Award, which is given in honor of the man who served as president and chairman of the Hall of Fame from 1982-88, and was responsible for elevating the organization to worldwide recognition. The award recognizes an exceptional company that shares Cullman’s enthusiasm for tennis and has also made a significant contribution to society at large- both philanthropically and through outstanding generosity of spirit. Campbell Soup Company has been selected to receive the award in appreciation for their longtime support of tennis at various levels, which ranges from partnering with the Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis & Education Foundation to engage underprivileged children with tennis to recognizing collegiate student-athletes with the annual Campbell/ITA National College Player of the Year Award. In addition, Campbell’s has been a great supporter of growing recreational tennis through sponsorship of the USTA National Husband Wife Championships, and has supported the sport through sponsorships of pro tennis events, namely, the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, an ATP World Tour event.
A limited number of tickets for the event are still available. For tickets, sponsorship opportunities, or to learn more about The Legends Ball, call (401) 849-3990 or e-mail mforts@tennisfame.com.
