The Hockey HOF named Globe & Mail sports writer ROY MACGREGOR winner of the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award in honor of his work in print media. The Hockey HOF's broadcast media honoree was Sabres play-by-play announcer RICK JEANNERET, who received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the NHL Broadcasters' Association (GLOBE & MAIL, 6/9). In Ottawa, Ken Warren noted MacGregor is the "author of countless hockey books" and has served as a hockey columnist for the Ottawa Citizen, National Post and Globe & Mail for the last 20 years (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 6/9). Jeanneret began his career with the Sabres in the '71-72 season as the club's radio play-by-play announcer and served primarily in that role until '95, when he also began calling the team's games on TV (Sabres).
HALL PASS: In New Jersey, Andrew Duffelmeyer notes Basketball HOF coach BOB HURLEY and late NFL Giants Owner WELLINGTON MARA were inducted into the state HOF Saturday "during a ceremony at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center." Organizers also honored paralyzed former Rutgers football player ERIC LEGRAND (NORTHJERSEY.com, 6/10)....Univ. of South Carolina women's basketball coach and former WNBAer DAWN STALEY was inducted Saturday into the Women's Basketball HOF. Saturday was also "filled with tributes" to HOFer and Univ. of Tennessee women's basketball Coach Emeritus PAT SUMMITT. ABC's "GMA" anchor ROBIN ROBERTS also was "honored as a contributor for her work announcing women's basketball for ESPN" (PHILLY.com, 6/10).
PRESIDENTIAL HONOR: In N.Y., Ralph Vacchiano notes the NFL Giants made their "second trip to the White House in four years" on Friday for an afternoon ceremony in honor of their Super Bowl XLVI win. Coach TOM COUGHLIN said, "I hope it's not a twice-in-a-lifetime experience." Coughlin said to President BARACK OBAMA, "We both have the goal to get back here next year" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/9).
TAX COLLECTOR: In San Diego, Brent Schrotenboer cited tax notices as indicating that baseball HOFer and San Diego State Univ. baseball coach TONY GWYNN, who recently joined Legendary Pictures CEO THOMAS TULL's group seeking to buy the Padres, "owes more than $400,000 in unpaid federal income taxes." The liens involve unpaid taxes from '03, '07 and '09. Gwynn is "not a money partner" in the ownership group seeking to buy the Padres, and his "financial background is unlikely to affect the outcome." Gwynn's tax attorney, MITCH DUBICK said that his client is "working to pay down the owed taxes" (UTSANDIEGO.com, 6/8).
NAMES: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution caught up with former Thrashers President DON WADDELL on the first anniversary of the sale and relocation of the team to Winnipeg. In the last year, Waddell has "continued his work with USA Hockey and served as a pro scout" for the Penguins (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 6/10)....Steelers QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER and his wife, ASHLEY, announced Saturday that they are expecting their first child, a baby boy (POST-GAZETTE.com, 6/10)....Former boxer MIKE TYSON, TNT's REGGIE MILLER and actors MARK WAHLBERG, MARIO LOPEZ, JEREMY RENNER and JASON BIGGS attended Saturday's TIMOTHY BRADLEY-MANNY PACQUIAO fight at the MGM Grand (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 6/10)....Patriots P ZOLTAN MESKO raised $20,000 for the Boston Children's Hospital over the weekend at his karaoke event, ZoliOke (BOSTON HERALD, 6/11)....Speed VP/Finance FRANCOIS MCGILLICUDDY received a Media Financial Management Rainmaker Award, in honor of his efforts to lead growth of the organization (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 6/9)....Patriots Owner ROBERT KRAFT and 32-year-old RICKI NOEL LANDER were spotted Thursday at the Heat-Celtics Eastern Conference Finals Game Six (BOSTON.com, 6/9)....CBS' JIM NANTZ on Saturday married COURTNEY RICHARDS on the "seventh hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links." Among the attendees were Kraft, golfer PHIL MICKELSON, Patriots QB TOM BRADY, CBS Sports Chair SEAN MCMANUS and Nantz' NFL broadcast partner PHIL SIMMS (NESN.com, 6/10)....Mickelson last week sold his Windansea Beach, Calif., home for $2.745M (UTSANDIEGO.com, 6/8)....Former boxer EVANDER HOLYFIELD sold his Fayette County (Ga.) home for $7.5M on March 6 (AJC.com, 6/8).
