The Coach Cal Celebrity Softball Classic took place at Whitaker Bank Ballpark in Lexington, Ky., on Sunday, with proceeds going to the American Red Cross "to help fund flood relief efforts in Louisiana." A "crowd of about 2,500" people attended the event. Kentucky basketball coach JOHN CALIPARI in a tweet on Sunday said that the event "raised more than $300,000." Calipari said that a promotion started by one of the event's sponsors, Papa John's, "could double the donation." Among those attending the event were former NBAer KEITH BOGANS, T'Wolves C KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS, former NFLer TIM COUCH and Pro Football HOFer CRIS CARTER. Meanwhile, LSU last week announced that men's basketball coach JOHNNY JONES and SHAQUILLE O'NEAL planned a charity golf event for Sept. 16 to aid in flood relief efforts (LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER, 8/29). Astros P WILL HARRIS and White Sox P ANTHONY RANAUDO, who both played at LSU, are taking place in a campaign called, "Pitch in with Former Tigers" that will "help raise money for those in need" after the flooding (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 8/29). Arkansas football coach BRET BIELEMA and the football team on Saturday "loaded up on supplies to send to the relief effort in South Louisiana." South Carolina and Alabama football also have "contributed truckloads of supplies in the past two weeks" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 8/28). Baylor's women's basketball coach KIM MULKEY's hometown of Hammond is "one of the cities affected by the flooding." Mulkey donated $35,000 "worth of school supplies to students in the area" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/27).
THE GOOD STUFF: Clippers F BLAKE GRIFFIN committed the largest gift ever to the Univ. of Oklahoma by a former basketball player toward the High Performance Center Addition project at Lloyd Noble Center (OU)....About 600 fans attended the 49ers Foundation's Pasta Bowl X event on Sunday at Levi's Stadium. The fundraiser was founded in '07 by the 49ers Foundation and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group "with the aim of keeping underserved youth on the right track." Current players, 49ers alumni, co-Owner JOHN YORK, CEO JED YORK and coach CHIP KELLY "broke bread with fans" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 8/29)....Former NBAer JALEN ROSE yesterday "hosted his sixth annual Jalen Rose Leadership Academy Golf outing" at the Detroit Golf club. Attendees included former Detroit Mayor and Basketball HOFer DAVE BING, former NBAer JIMMY KING, ESPN's MICHAEL WILBON and Pistons C ANDRE DRUMMOND (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 8/30).
