Tarrant County (Texas) court documents show that Angels LF JOSH HAMILTON filed for divorce "in late February" from his wife KATIE, which was "about the time reports of his offseason substance abuse surfaced" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/19). Meanwhile, Hamilton has put his 10,850-square-foot home in Newport Coast, Calif., on the market for $16.5M (L.A. TIMES, 4/18).
A RIGHT TO SING THE BLUES: JOHN AMIRANTE "sang his final national anthem" for the Rangers at MSG on Saturday night before Game 2 of NHL playoff series against the Penguins, concluding a 35-year run with the team. However, the 80-year-old Amirante said that he "was told before this season that he would do only four games total -- regular season and playoffs combined -- and that the Garden’s handling of his final season upset him" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/19).
AWARDS & HONORS: The DC Sports HOF yesterday inducted its '15 class before Phillies-Nationals, where Wizards and Capitals Owner TED LEONSIS, Washington Post columnist THOMAS BOSWELL, former Maryland basketball coach GARY WILLIAMS and former Georgetown basketball coach JOHN THOMPSON JR. were among those honored (WASHINGTON POST, 4/20)....Former IndyCar driver MARIO ANDRETTI last week "was honored by Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC Entertainment as one of four inductees" into the '14 Superman Hall of Heroes (ESPN.com, 4/17).
CHARITY STRIPE: The MLB Clubhouse Managers Association and New Era sent signed caps from all thirty teams to the Cap For Kids Program, a national non-profit dedicated to providing caps to cancer-stricken children undergoing chemotherapy treatment. The donated caps are autographed by celebrities and athletes (MLB)....NASCAR team co-Owner GENE HAAS' eponymous foundation yesterday announced that the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research and the Danville Community College are the recipients of a $1M grant from the foundation (Gene Haas Foundation)....The Dick Vitale Gala in May will host guests including the parents of late Mount St. Joseph basketball player LAUREN HILL, plus Bengals DT DEVON STILL and his daughter, LEAH. Proceeds from the event benefit the V Foundation and pediatric-cancer research. The gala this year honors longtime Syracuse basketball coach JIM BOEHEIM, Florida State football coach JIMBO FISHER and Buccaneers coach LOVIE SMITH (ENQUIRER.com, 4/19).
NAMES: The Detroit Free Press and Lansing State Journal have “joined forces to publish ‘MR. MARCH,’ an insider's look at 20 years of Michigan State glory” under men’s basketball coach TOM IZZO. The hardcover book costs $34.95 (FREEP.com, 4/17)....Runner’s World on Friday in Boston hosted a “Night with Meb” featuring ’14 Boston Marathon winner MEB KEFLEZIGHI. N.Y. Road Runners President & CEO MARY WITTENBERG, New Balance President & CEO ROB DEMARTINI and Competitor Magazine Editor-In-Chief BRIAN METZLER were in attendance (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/20)....Golfer RORY MCILROY “was seen Saturday night having dinner at 2Vine in downtown Rochester and then stopped in at Magpie Pub.” McIlroy “is reportedly dating” PGA of America Manager of Championship Volunteer Operations ERICA STOLL, who grew up in the area (ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 4/20).
