Producer CHARLIE EBERSOL, who is working on CNBC's new reality series, "WEST TEXAS INVESTORS CLUB," discussed his recovery from an '04 plane crash and the "stamina it takes to be at the top of his game." Ebersol said of the crash, "I didn't get out of bed for days. Then my mom and godmother ... sort of burst through the door, opened all the blinds and were like, 'Get out of bed.' They said, 'You either choose to live or you choose to die slowly.' ... (Surviving) solidified my will to pour my entire heart and soul into whatever I'm doing" (L.A. TIMES, 8/15).
SHINING ON THE DIAMOND: Former MLBers TIM SALMON, DEAN CHANCE and MIKE WITT were all inducted into the Angels HOF before Saturday's game against the Blue Jays (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 8/23)....Former MLBers IVAN RODRIGUEZ, EDGAR RENTERIA, ORLANDO HERNANDEZ, SAMMY SOSA, JESSE OROSCO and OMAR VIZQUEL have been elected to the Latino Baseball HOF (Rangers)....The Reds honored Baseball HOFer TONY PEREZ on Saturday with the unveiling of a statue at Great American Ball Park (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 8/24)....A group of "Yankee greats" gathered at NYY Steak on Saturday night for the "celebration" of former MLBers JORGE POSADA and ANDY PETTITTE's number-retirement ceremonies. Attendees included former MLBers TINO MARTINEZ and DEREK JETER, who came with his girlfriend, SI Swimsuit cover model HANNAH DAVIS. MLB Exec VP/Baseball Operations JOE TORRE, Yankees P CC SABATHIA, Yankees General Partner & Vice Chair JENNIFER STEINBRENNER SWINDAL and Yankees Senior VP & Assistant GM JEAN AFTERMAN also attended (NYPOST.com, 8/23).
DESERT ROSE: The Coyotes have "settled a lawsuit with their former political adviser JASON ROSE over sponsorship of Rose's Scottsdale polo event." The two sides "reached an undisclosed settlement last week stemming from a suit" filed in '14 by Rose+Moser+Allyn Public & Online Relations (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 8/21).
NAMES: Turner Sports' CRAIG SAGER, who is "being treated for acute myeloid leukemia," attended yesterday's Dodgers-Astros game at Minute Maid Park. He "came to the ballpark to visit friends and said his latest tests show that treatment is going well" (CHRON.com, 8/23)....Rockets G JAMES HARDEN held his "first initiative in Arizona," the James Harden Basketball ProCamp, over the weekend in Phoenix. The camp "welcomed 250 athletes" in grades 1-12 (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 8/23)....Saints TE BEN WATSON “hasn’t been afraid to voice his opinions on current issues,” and he will pen a book on race and social problems in November, titled “UNDER OUR SKIN” (NOLA.com, 8/23)....The WNBA Sky “signed a 14-year-old girl with cerebral palsy to a one-day contract to fulfill her dream of being a professional basketball player.” KIARA HOOD, of Blue Island, Ill., and her family “spent Friday with the team as they prepared to take on the Washington Mystics at Allstate Arena.” The day “was made possible with help from the Magellan Corporation and La Rabida Children's Hospital” (AP, 8/23)....Wild assistant coach DARRYL SYDOR “was arrested late Thursday afternoon and charged with impaired driving and child endangerment after a test revealed a blood alcohol content of .30.” Sydor had his 12-year-old son “in the front passenger seat en route to the boy's hockey game when another motorist called police to report what they thought to be an intoxicated driver” (ESPN.com, 8/21)....Skateboarder TONY HAWK, in a special for the WALL STREET JOURNAL’s “My Tech Essentials” feature, wrote he uses a Burton Canyon snowboard. He added, "I’ve been wearing my son RILEY HAWK’s signature Lakai shoes lately" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/21)....UFC fighter RONDA ROUSEY’s autobiography, “MY FIGHT/YOUR FIGHT,” came in at No. 6 on the N.Y. TIMES’ list of combined print and e-book best sellers. Rousey “describes her struggles to succeed” in the book co-written by her sister, journalist MARIA BURNS ORTIZ (N.Y. TIMES, 8/23).
IN MEMORY: JIMMY EVERT, the tennis director for the city of Ft. Lauderdale "for 49 years” and the father of CHRIS EVERT, died Friday at the age of 91. Evert was a “highly regarded tennis instructor whose students included his daughter,” as well as a “wide range of top junior players.” Throughout his career, he worked with JENNIFER CAPRIATI, FRANK FROEHLING, BRIAN GOTTFRIED and HAROLD SOLOMON (AP, 8/23).
