Names In The News

CHARITY: Last night's edition of CNNfn's "The Biz" examined TOMMY HILFIGER's annual golf outing, which "raises millions of dollars for charity by bringing sports celebrities to the clubhouse. Hilfiger's "involvement with the sports world is a win-win for his label as well as his charitable causes. ... Highlighting sports as part of his marketing strategy appears to be paying off for Hilfiger. Sales are going strong for his domestic women's wear as well as overseas" (CNNfn, 6/27)....The BULLS last Sunday raised about $25,000 for CHARITABULLS, the team's charity arm, during the "Running with the Bulls" 8K fund-raiser (Bulls).

NAMES: In Boston, gossip columnists Fee & Raposa write, "We hear Red Sox [President] LARRY LUCCHINO, who is apparently an ardent Democrat, stole the show at the luncheon for the DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION SITE ADVISORY COMMITTEE at the NEW ENGLAND AQUARIUM the other day. Lucchino entertained questions from the committee, who are sizing up the Hub as a possible locale for the big 2004 shindig. If he liked the question, he rewarded the person who posed it with an autographed PEDRO [MARTINEZ] or DEREK LOWE ball. If he didn't he handed out a keychain" (BOSTON HERALD, 6/28)....In L.A., Tom Hoffarth writes of JOHN MCENROE's autobiography, "YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS": "While there is plenty of inner-reflection on his playing career and two marriages, there's little detail in the book about what he's got out of the last 10-plus years doing tennis analysis" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 6/28)....In UT, Lisa Riley Roche reported that settlement talks have started between the SLOC and former Salt Lake City bid execs TOM WELCH and DAVE JOHNSON on income they lost from the SLOC after allegations of bribery surfaced. Welch is "believed to be seeking" $1M, and Johnson is "said to be asking" for $200,000. Sources said that a deal is "much closer to being reached with Johnson than with Welch" (DESERET NEWS, 6/27).