While the future of the Cubs RF SAMMY SOSA Charitable
Foundation is in question after a report in Fortune (see THE
DAILY, 4/4) stated the foundation is nearly bankrupt,
Richard Wilner of the N.Y. POST reported that with "expert
advisers all around them, most super jocks today are having
much smoother sailing" with their foundations. Wilner:
"That's because they demand that corporate sponsors kick in
cash." In '98, the last year tax records were available,
TIGER WOODS had AmEx donate $1M to his foundation, while
NIKE contributed $325,000, TITLEIST, $250,00 and PEPSICO,
SPORTSLINE and MOTOROLA, $100,000 each. Woods' Foundation
"has grown quickly" into a $5M operation and makes "plenty
of contributions to worthy causes," including $27,000 to the
Boys & Girls Club in Palm Beach, FL, and $27,000 to Tampa's
Urban Junior Golf Program (N.Y. POST, 4/9).
WILL WOODS SKIP SC? In S.F., David Steele writes that
the NAACP and other organizers calling for an economic
boycott of SC over the state flying the Confederate flag
over the capitol "dearly would love to see" Woods "join
their cause" in deciding not to play the MCI Classic in
Hilton Head this weekend. Steele writes that Woods "doesn't
have to worry about being perceived as the leader of the
movement. The sports world already has weighed in big-
time." If Woods decides to "just stay out of it," the
boycott will "not be crippled, and neither will his
popularity." If he makes a statement against the flag, "he
runs the risk of losing endorsements and some points off his
'Q' rating. On the other hand, he shakes the opposition.
... The ball's on the tee. Tiger can do what he does best
and swing away. Or he can step back and say, 'Not this
week'" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/10). After The Masters, Woods did
not make reference to the MCI Classic, but said, "I'm going
home. ... It's time to take a little break" (Mult., 4/10).
