Panthers QB CAM NEWTON on Friday held his inaugural "Kick It With Cam" celebrity kickball tournament in Charlotte, and while tickets originally were $5, Newton "decided to make it free to the public." Initially there would be 1,000 tickets, but his foundation "eventually opened it up for 2,500 people." Newton’s foundation also held its "second annual charity gala on Saturday." Proceeds "went back to the foundation, which works with Carolinas Healthcare System and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools." Newton has "made it a point to get involved with the Charlotte community" since the Panthers drafted him in '11 (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 6/13). Newton hosted his “Kids Rock Gala” Saturday night in Charlotte. After a VIP reception and dinner, a live auction featured items such as tickets to Super Bowl 50, the Indy 500, Wimbledon and a “Cam Newton training day.” The event was co-hosted by Newton and ESPN’s TREY WINGO. The auction was followed by a musical performance by GAVIN DEGRAW. Among those in the crowd: Former NFLers WARREN MOON and EDDIE GEORGE, tennis player SLOANE STEPHENS, Auburn football coach GUZ MALZAHN, IMG VP CARLOS FLEMING, and Panthers teammates RYAN KALIL and LUKE KUECHLY (THE DAILY).
SAY CHEESE: Packers WR JORDY NELSON's annual charity softball game yesterday "brought a crowd of 8,024" to Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wisc., to "watch some of their favorite players trade in their helmets and pads for gloves and bats." The game "is a fundraiser for Young Life, a faith-based nonprofit that works with middle school, high school and college students" (Appleton POST-CRESCENT, 6/15). Yesterday "marked the second year of the Jordy Nelson Charity Softball Game," as he "carries on the annual bonanza off Highway 41 that BRETT FAVRE and DONALD DRIVER headlined before him." Yesterday's event "raised $100,000 ... up from $75,000 the previous year" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 6/15).
MEMORIES IN THE MAKING: The Broncos on Saturday hosted more than 800 people at their Dove Valley HQ for the "Alzheimer's Association of Colorado's annual Memories in the Making Art Auction, with all proceeds going to the support of Alzheimer's patients and research for a cure" (DENVERPOST.com, 6/14).
FIELD OF DREAMS: Current and former Orioles players, along with members of the MLBPA, on Saturday played a game with members of the James Mosher Baseball youth league in West Baltimore, held just 1 1/2 miles south of Mondawin Mall, "where rioting broke out April 27" surrounding the death of FREDDIE GRAY. Baseball HOFer FRANK ROBINSON, along with MLBPA Exec Dir TONY CLARK, former MLBers ERIC DAVIS and JEFFREY HAMMONDS, and Orioles players ADAM JONES and DELMON YOUNG were there. Baltimore Mayor STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE "was also in attendance and threw out the ceremonial first pitch" (Baltimore SUN, 6/14).
