The Chronicle of Philanthropy listed Nike co-Founder & Chair Emeritus PHIL KNIGHT and his wife PENNY as the "top donors in its annual ranking of the 50 most charitable Americans." It "marked the first time the Knights topped the list in the 17 years the news organization has been compiling the rankings," though they have "appeared on the list five other times." The Knights promised $400M to Stanford Univ. last February, and in October pledged $500M to the Univ. of Oregon. Meanwhile, Trail Blazers and Seahawks Owner PAUL ALLEN came in at No. 4 with gifts totaling $295M (Portland OREGONIAN, 3/1).
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES: Cowboys Owner JERRY JONES will "likely" become the team's next Ring of Honor inductee. Jones was elected to the Pro Football HOF last month, and the Cowboys' 14 other HOFers are already in the Ring of Honor, along with seven other players. Jones has "not announced who will present him in Canton," but his son, Cowboys Exec VP, COO & Dir of Player Personnel STEPHEN JONES, is the "favorite for that honor" (STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 2/28). Jones this week was named the recipient of SportsBusiness Journal/Daily's Lifetime Achievement Award for '17 (THE DAILY). Meanwhile, Cowboys Exec VP & Chief Brand Officer CHARLOTTE JONES ANDERSON will be inducted into the Arkansas Sports HOF's Class of '17 on Friday (ARKANSASONLINE.com, 2/27).
PARTY IN THE STREETS: Pelicans F ANTHONY DAVIS and C DEMARCUS COUSINS yesterday "celebrated Mardi Gras in the Big Easy by tossing beads and waving to the large crowds that lined the streets on the Zulu parade route." The two were "honorary grand marshals" for the parade and were joined by their teammate, G TIM FRAZIER (NOLA.com, 2/28)....Tulane AD TROY DANNEN "experienced his first Mardi Gras" on Monday, as he rode in the "Toyland float at the Krewe of Orpheus parade" (NOLA.com, 2/28).
NAMES: The memorial celebration for late longtime Miami Herald sports columnist EDWIN POPE was held yesterday at the Clevelander Bar at Marlins Park. A "crowd of 300 -- former colleagues, fans and South Florida sports icons ranging in age from 20s to 90s -- showed up to pay tribute to Pope, who died Jan. 19 of cancer at age 88." Among those in attendance were former Univ. of Miami football coach HOWARD SCHNELLENBERGER, former NFLer BOB GRIESE and radio personality HANK GOLDBERG (MIAMI HERALD, 3/1)....Three months after he was “tapped to be deputy commerce secretary,” Cubs co-Owner TODD RICKETTS “remains in talks with government officials on how to handle his extensive holdings” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/1)....Howard Univ. Dir of Athletic Media Relations ED HILL, who has been the “backbone” of the school’s athletic communications department for three decades, is “set to retire” at the end of the academic year. During halftime of the men’s basketball game against Maryland Eastern Shore on Monday, the university “celebrated ‘Ed Hill Day’ honoring his 33 years” at Howard (WASHINGTON POST, 3/1)....Packers VP & General Counsel ED POLICY and Bucks President PETER FEIGIN “talked about their respective projects” yesterday at a real estate forum in Milwaukee. The Bucks are in the midst of building a new arena, while the Packers are working on their 34-acre Titletown District (FOX6NOW.com, 2/28)....Patriots coach BILL BELICHICK “will be the keynote speaker” at the Texas Coaches Clinic in April. The annual two-day event takes place on the UT campus and is attended by members of the Texas High School Coaches Association (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 3/1).
IN MEMORY: Triple-A Int'l League Norfolk Tides Exec VP & Senior Advisor to the President DAVE ROSENFIELD died yesterday at a Virginia Beach hospital from "complications following a heart attack suffered at home on Feb. 18." He was 87. A four-time Int’l League Exec of the Year and the '04 King of Baseball, Rosenfield was the Tides’ GM from ’63-’12. He was a member of the Int’l League and Hampton Roads Sports HOFs and “last year was voted into” the Virginia Sports HOF (PILOTONLINE.com, 3/1).
