In Rhode Island, Mike Szostak noted former player ANDRE AGASSI and WTA Operations Exec Consultant FERN LEE “PEACHY” KELLMEYER were inducted into the Int'l Tennis HOF on Saturday in front of a crowd of 4,000. Agassi during his acceptance speech “spoke in a measured tone for 19½ minutes” (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, 7/10). In Boston, Bud Collins noted Kellmeyer was “an original employee” of the WTA and “remains an exceptional administrator, problem-solver for many years, keeper of their history, guiding light of the WTA” (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/9).
ROYAL BRUNCH: In N.Y., Todd Venezia noted PRINCE WILLIAM and KATE MIDDLETON were scheduled to have brunch this weekend at the Beverly Hills home of NFL Giants Chair & Exec VP STEVE TISCH. No one was invited "without pledging a massive donation to charity first" (N.Y. POST, 7/9).
CUBAN REVOLUTION: Mavericks Owner MARK CUBAN “has decided to keep Landmark Theatres and Magnolia Pictures after failing to attract bids for the assets.” Cuban: “We haven’t received any offers. For the right price we would still sell” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 7/8). Meanwhile, Cuban’s “college days have recently been posted on Deadspin.com, and they’re not safe for work.” Deadspin “emailed Cuban to see if they could post a few” pictures of his rugby years at Indiana Univ. Cuban “wrote back saying he had no idea the photos had been made public.” After “some time to think, Cuban gave the OK.” Cuban: “Did we do stupid (expletive) back then? Absolutely. Even then, we knew it was stupid. We also knew it was harmless” (DALLASNEWS.com, 7/7).
FULL HOUSE: World Series of Poker officials yesterday said that “6,865 players -- 6.2 percent fewer than last year -- entered the no-limit Texas Hold 'em tournament between Thursday and Sunday, generating a $64.5 million total prize pool.” Each entry cost $10,000. WSOP Exec Dir TY STEWART said, “Let’s hope that once and for all, people stop underestimating poker” (AP, 7/10).
POLITICAL CORRECTNESS: In N.Y., Niall Stanage notes golfer RORY MCILROY enjoys a “cross-community appeal” in his native Northern Ireland, among Catholics and Protestants alike, and he “has acquired it without advertising his impartiality in blazing neon.” McIlroy has, “so far, dodged questions of political affiliation with a shoulder-shrugging casualness.” Civil rights activist EAMONN MCCANN said, “It is very, very unusual that someone comes to prominence in Northern Ireland without it being clear from the outset what religion they are” (N.Y. TIMES, 7/11).
CLIMBING INTO THE CAVE: The MLB FanCave was profiled on ABC’s “World News” Saturday night, with ABC’s John Berman saying baseball fans MICHAEL O'HARA and RYAN WAGNER watch all the games from the FanCave. Berman said the FanCave in N.Y. is “one part publicity, one part shrine to the national pastime and one part outreach” to young fans. O'Hara and Wagner “are chatting and posting videos on Facebook and Twitter constantly because face it, kids aren’t cards in the schoolyard anymore.” MLB Exec VP/Business TIM BROSNAN: “Baseball needs to think about the fans of the future” (“World News,” ABC, 7/9).
NAMES: In N.Y., Douglas Quenqua profiled LA LA ANTHONY, wife of Knicks F CARMELO ANTHONY, under the header, “The First Lady Of The NBA.” Since Carmelo joined the Knicks in February, the couple has “been popping up everywhere: ‘The View,’ ‘The Wendy Williams Show,’ the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.” In ’08, the couple “established Krossover Productions.” Quenqua wondered if they are “campaigning to be the next” DAVID and VICTORIA BECKHAM (N.Y. TIMES, 7/10)....Under Armour President, Chair & CEO KEVIN PLANK received a “huge boost in pay after the Baltimore apparel maker topped $1 billion in revenue for the first time.” The “bulk of Plank’s annual compensation last year was $1.28 million in cash incentive tied to performance.” He received $1.3M in total pay, up from $748,061 in ’09 (Baltimore SUN, 7/10).
