Iowa Senior Associate AD JANE MEYER is being reassigned to another department "amid intensifying scrutiny over whether the university treats female coaches differently than their male peers." Her move to an unknown position "follows national questions about whether the Big Ten school's athletics department has engaged in gender discrimination." Those who say gender bias is "prevalent in UI athletics point to the Aug. 4 termination of TRACEY GRIESBAUM, the school's former head field hockey coach and Meyer's long-term partner." Meyer's reassignment "is inviting a new round of criticism and claims of retaliation." But Iowa VP/Strategic Communications JOE BRENNAN said that the move "is not disciplinary" (DES MOINES REGISTER, 12/9).
TRIBUTE TO A FRIEND: MLB's PR departments have decided that this year's auction for cancer research will benefit the LUNGevity lung cancer advocacy group, in honor of late Orioles PR Dir MONICA BARLOW. The auction "will include once-in-a-lifetime opportunities like a meet-and-greet with the likes of" Angels CF MIKE TROUT and Dodgers broadcaster VIN SCULLY. Other items include the "chance to watch three innings from inside Fenway Park's Green Monster, playing catch in the Wrigley Field outfield, and even a pottery lesson" with Brewers 2B SCOOTER GENNETT (BALTIMORESUN.com, 12/8).
AWARDS & HONORS: Yankees Exec Dir of Communications & Media Relations JASON ZILLO has received the '14 Robert O. Fishel Award for PR Excellence, which goes to the active, non-uniformed rep of MLB whose "ethics, character, dedication, service, professionalism and humanitarianism best represent the standard propounded" by former AL Exec VP ROBERT FISHEL (MLB)....Pirates GM NEAL HUNTINGTON will receive the Dr. Freddie Fu Sports Leadership Award at the Feb. 10 Dapper Dan Dinner & Sports Auction (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 12/7)....After moving into a new ballpark and drawing 696,601 fans to 71 home games -- 150,000 more than the previous two years combined -- the Triple-A Int'l League Charlotte Knights won the '14 Baseball America Bob Freitas Award, "which recognizes long-term excellence in the operation of minor league franchises." It is the Knights' first time receiving the award (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/6).
NAMES: Seahawks and Trail Blazers Owner PAUL ALLEN is putting $100M "toward creating the Allen Institute for Cell Science in Seattle." The center "will focus on learning more about, and creating models of, living cells in an effort to improve the process of disease research" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 12/8)....Former MLBer DEREK JETER last night "treated 485 children to a screening of the movie 'ANNIE' and then surprised them with holiday gift bags" at an Upper West Side theater in Manhattan (MLB.com, 12/9)....Red Sox radio announcer JOE CASTIGLIONE “agreed to record the opening announcements” for a youth theater production in Falmouth, Mass. Castiglione welcomes the audience, "explaining where the exits are, and advising people to silence their cell phones" (CAPECODWAVE.com, 12/8)....A '69 jersey autographed by Baseball HOFer ERNIE BANKS "sold at auction for $151,652 on Sunday" (CHICAGOSUNTIMES.com, 12/8)....Baseball HOFer FRANK THOMAS sold his 41-room, 25,000-square-foot home in Chicago for $2.71M (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/9)....MLB free agent P BARRY ZITO has sold his Hollywood Hills West, Calif., home for $3.375M. The home “originally came to market last year” for $4.375M. Zito paid $2M for the property in ’03 (LATIMES.com, 12/8).
IN MEMORY: FS South producer ANDY POLLACK died Sunday at the age of 54 after a three-year battle with leukemia (AJC.com, 12/8).
