The USA Hockey HOF on Thursday night issued the Lester Patrick Trophy to Bruins Owner JEREMY JACOBS and longtime NHL scout BOB CROCKER "for outstanding service to hockey" in the U.S. Other inductees into the HOF's class of '15 included Rangers Dir of Player Development CHRIS DRURY, NHLPA Special Assistant to the Exec Dir MATHIEU SCHNEIDER, IOC and USOC member ANGELA RUGGIERO, and former USA Hockey President RON DEGREGORIO (BOSTONHERALD.com, 12/18).
SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT: UFC fighter RONDA ROUSEY was named one of the 10 most fascinating people of the year by ABC's Barbara Walters, who noted Rousey has "redefined what it means to fight like a girl." Rousey has been called the "best female athlete ever, but her accomplishments defy gender," as she makes "more money than any UFC fighter, male or female.” Rousey said of Hollywood wanting her to lose weight and be more “feminine” for films, “Just because my body was developed for a purpose doesn't mean it's masculine. I think it's femininely badass as (bleep) because there's not a single muscle in my body that isn't for a purpose” ("The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2015," ABC, 12/17).
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Newton was joined on the tour by rapper Ice Cube
and actor Kevin Hart
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SANTA'S HELPERS: Panthers QB CAM NEWTON on Tuesday held his second annual Santa Cam Surprise Sleigh, making stops across Charlotte and "greeting children and fans for five hours." Newton began at Metro School and "presented the 250-some teachers and staff there with $50 Belk gift cards" (CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.com, 12/15)....The D-backs on Wednesday at Chase Field "hosted their 18th annual Winter Classic Holiday Party," and more than 550 children "received gifts that included a new pair of shoes, a D-backs sweatshirt, a backpack and some books." The event, which was sponsored by the Univ. of Phoenix, "included D-backs players and coaches giving baseball tips and pitching to kids on a small Wiffle ball field set up in left field" (MLB.com, 12/16)....Celtics players earlier this week "spread holiday cheer across the city," making stops at Boston Medical Center's pediatric specialty clinic and at Boston Children's Hospital (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 12/16).
NOT THAT ROCKY: Actor JEREMY RENNER "is stepping into the ring for a ROCKY MARCIANO biopic," playing the boxer who held the heavyweight crown from '52-56, in "UNDEFEATED: THE ROCKY MARCIANO STORY." The project, which was written by SAMUEL FRANCO and EVAN KILGORE and will be produced by MORRIS LEVY, "is currently seeking a director" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 12/17). The film "will be the first authorized biopic on Marciano's life and will follow him from childhood" to his '69 death in a plane crash. Marciano "remains the only heavyweight champion to retire from his professional career undefeated 49-0" (VARIETY.com, 12/17)....A movie about the Univ. of S.F. ‘51 football team "is in development at Walden Media and Mandalay Sports Media." MIKE TOLLIN is producing, and the project "is being written by ISAAC ADAMSON about the undefeated football team that turned down a bid to play in the Orange Bowl in Miami after being told that the team would not be allowed to use its two black players" (VARIETY.com, 12/16).
NAMES: The IIHF on Thursday posthumously named late NHL coach and exec PAT QUINN to its HOF in the builders category (VANCOUVERSUN.com, 12/17)....With the help of a $500,000 grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum next year will "open the long-awaited Buck O’Neil Education and Research Center and debut an exhibit on the integration of the major leagues" (K.C. STAR, 12/18)....Nationals RF BRYCE HARPER and Cubs 3B KRIS BRYANT, who grew up in Las Vegas, were "given keys to the city and honored by Mayor CAROLYN GOODMAN in a ceremony Thursday." Harper this past season earned NL MVP honors and Bryant was named Rookie of the Year in the NL (MLB.com, 12/16)....Red Wings Senior VP & Alternate Governor JIMMY DEVELLANO “gave a big gift” to the Hockey HOF in Toronto by donating “all seven of his Stanley Cup championship rings” -- four won with the Red Wings (‘97, ‘98, ‘02, ‘08) and three with the Islanders (‘80, ‘81, ‘82) (DETROIT NEWS, 12/18).
