Vikings coach MIKE ZIMMER and his family on Saturday "launched the Mike Zimmer Foundation at a private event at the U.S. Bank Stadium preview center." Zimmer, with his late wife, VIKKI, "in mind," said that they "gave away a $10,000 scholarship at Lockport High School in Illinois, where his late father, BILL, was the football coach." Zimmer added that a donation has also "been made to help with the Flint, Mich. water crisis." Because Vikki "was a dance teacher who loved children, the foundation will focus on benefiting area youths." The plan is to "provide scholarships for underprivileged kids" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 3/6).
TRYING TO TRUMP TRUMP: Conservative donor RANDY KENDRICK, the wife of D-backs Managing General Partner KEN KENDRICK, is "rallying contributors to finance a last-ditch campaign" against Republican presidential candidate DONALD TRUMP. Randy Kendrick said that the "final straw was the way Trump handled a question about" former KKK leader DAVID DUKE. She said, "That was just a dog whistle to racists before southern primaries. Dictators arose because people did not stand up." This makes the Kendricks the second MLB owners to support Our Principles PAC, which received $3M from MARLENE RICKETTS, the mother of Cubs Chair TOM RICKETTS (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 3/7). Meanwhile, LINDA HOLLIDAY, girlfriend of Patriots coach BILL BELICHICK, on Saturday night "posted a photo on Instagram" of herself, Belichick and Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/6).
MONEYBALL: In Boston, Cindy Atoji Keene profiled Red Sox Senior Analyst TOM TIPPETT, who "uses statistical methods to help the team make crucial decisions, such as what players to acquire and who to put on the field." Tippett said, "I work with others in the analytics department to develop the in-house baseball information system and database. It all comes down to trying to understand the game better. We have new ability to track player movement and location and follow the ball, right down to the velocity of the pitch, spin, and angle" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/5).
ROAD TRIP: Tzell Travel Group Partners MICHAEL MARTOCCI and BARRY LIBEN have become a "vital part part of a travel niche that now draws many older lifelong fans across a range of sports." The pair "formed a subsidiary, Big Blue Travel, and arrange trips to every Giants away game." The event usually "starts with a cocktail party the night before and includes a tailgate party featuring one or more former Giants players." Those players "are retired, as are about a third of the Big Blue travelers" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/6).
THE GOOD STUFF: The McEnroe Challenge for Charity "officially kicked off the start" of the '16 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Saturday, and "fundraised $80,000." The "headliner this year" was Tennis HOFer PETE SAMPRAS. It was the "first time Sampras has played at Indian Wells" since '10 (Palm Springs DESERT SUN, 3/6)....Magic G VICTOR OLADIPO was named the winner of the '15-16 Rich & Helen DeVos Community Enrichment Award -- an award that "honors a player for outstanding community service." Oladipo will "receive $50,000 from the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation to donate to the charity or charities of his choice" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 3/6).
NAMES: Astros Owner JIM CRANE at a ceremony at the Univ. of Central Missouri "had his jersey number 24 retired." Crane "becomes the first Central Missouri baseball player to have his number retired in program history" (Astros)....Former PGA of America President TED BISHOP is "writing a tell-all book about his time at the organization, including his firing" in late '14. The manuscript titled, "'UNFRIENDED:' THE POWER BROKERS, POLITICAL CORRECTNESS AND HYPOCRISY IN GOLF," which is set to be released this summer" (GOLF.com, 3/5)....President GEORGE H.W. BUSH on Saturday "threw out the first pitch" at Texas A&M's Blue Bell Park and "received a 'Welcome home Mr. President!' from an appreciative crowd along the way" (CHRON.com, 3/5)....Univ. of Wisconsin officials released a statement Saturday saying that former men's basketball coach BO RYAN "did not misuse university funds during the course of an extramarital affair while he was coach." The statement also said that UW "did not force Ryan to resign over the affair" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 3/6)....Fox Sports Digital Dir of Consumer Marketing ERIN FREYERMUTH has been named to Cynopsis Media's '16 list of "Top Women in Digital" (Fox Sports)....Browns QB JOHNNY MANZIEL "took a selfie" with teammate JOSH GORDON Saturday night at UFC 196 (DALLASNEWS.com, 3/6)....After a charity event at Chelsea Piers to benefit the Garden of Dreams Foundation on Thursday, MSG Chair JAMES DOLAN "headed to the Cutting Room, where his band, JD & THE STRAIGHT SHOT, played an intimate concert for guests including KATIE HOLMES, JOHN MCENROE and JIMMY FALLON" (PAGESIX.com, 3/6).
