Free agent QB COLIN KAEPERNICK is "expected to ultimately be featured in a display" at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Late last year, sociologist and 49ers consultant DR. HARRY EDWARDS "donated a collection of artifacts" relating to Kaepernick and "urged curators to ... put them on exhibit, ASAP." The Kaepernick items are "not currently on display." But National Museum of African American History and Culture Curator of Sports DAMION THOMAS yesterday said that he "expects new material in their collection will be rotated into exhibits in one to two years" (USA TODAY, 5/18).
WELL-DESERVED RECOGNITION: ESPN's HANNAH STORM hosted the Clio Sports Awards on Tuesday in N.Y. The Stuart Scott Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to MARIO ANDRETTI. MLB President of Business & Media BOB BOWMAN was presented with the inaugural Innovator Award (THE DAILY).
POWER COUPLE: TNT's KENNY SMITH and his wife and producing partner, GWENDOLYN OSBORNE-SMITH, "dunked a new deal -- this one with ITV America." The "multi-year exclusive development deal could see the duo individually or together." As a "new label under ITV America, the couple's Smith Entertainment will work up and execute lifestyle, reality, docuseries, competition shows." The couple "produced and appeared together" in '15 in TBS' reality show, "MEET THE SMITHS" (DEADLINE.com, 5/17).
THE GREATEST SPECTACLE: Author CHRIS WORKMAN has “penned a new book” under the title, “THE SPECTACLE -- CELEBRATING THE HISTORY OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500.” The book is “aimed at educating and entertaining children by breaking down a century of Speedway history into a series of short, topical sections.” Verizon IndyCar Series driver and ’14 Indy 500 winner RYAN HUNTER-REAY “wrote the forward” and IndyCar team Owner A.J. FOYT is “featured in a special introduction” (IBJ.com, 5/17).
NAMES: Florida State AD STAN WILCOX will "join the NCAA's Football Oversight Committee in June." Wilcox was nominated by the ACC "to replace" Miami AD BLAKE JAMES (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 5/18)....Former NFLers LEONARD MARSHALL and MATT HASSELBECK will "donate their brains to the Concussion Legacy Foundation" for research into CTE (AP, 5/17)....The Univ. Of Missouri is “raising money to build and install a statue of former basketball coach NORM STEWART outside its Mizzou Arena.” The project is “slated for completion" near the start of the ’17-18 season (KANSASCITY.com, 5/17)....Int'l Motorsports HOFer JACKIE STEWART recently was in Montreal to “help Canada Post unveil a series of commemorative stamps honouring five of the most memorable drivers” in F1’s racing history (MONTREALGAZETTE.com, 5/17)....Former Pistons GM JACK MCCLOSKEY, the architect of the “back-to-back championship teams” in ’89 and ’90, is “fighting Alzheimer’s.” He is being treated at Insignia Personal Care Home in Savannah, Ga., a facility that “caters to Alzheimer’s and dementia patients” (FREEP.com, 5/17).
