D-backs Managing General Partner KEN KENDRICK has "compiled arguably the world's top collection" of vintage baseball cards, "showcased by a rare 1909 HONUS WAGNER card -- about half the size of a credit card" -- for which he paid $2.8M in '07. That card and "roughly 40 of his other prized holdings are on display through April 24 at the Phoenix Art Museum as part of a program in which the museum is encouraging its supporters to showcase their collections." Kendrick sits on the BOT. Kendrick "declined to state the value of his collection, which numbers in the thousands" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/20).
ALL APOLOGIES: UCLA men's basketball coach STEVE ALFORD "apologized for a season he called 'unacceptable' and announced in a letter to fans Sunday evening that he would return a previous one-year contract extension." Nearly all aspects of Alford’s contract will "revert to the original terms." He is now under contract until the completion of the '20 season. UCLA finished 10th in the Pac-12 and "failed to make a postseason tournament" (L.A. TIMES, 3/21).
GOTTA GO TO MO'S: Basketball HOFer SHAQUILLE O'NEAL and actor VERNE TROYER on Thursday "cut the ribbon" at the opening of the new Modell's Sporting Goods store in Boston. Modell's CEO MITCH MODELL said that the 11,000-square-foot store, in the former City Sports location, "will have about 50 employees and be tailored to customers passionate about running, fitness and professional sports teams." Modell announced that 10% of the store’s total sales this past Friday would be "donated to the Martin Richard Foundation," named for the 8-year-old boy who was killed in the Boston Marathon bombings (BOSTON HERALD, 3/18).
GIVING BACK: Thunder F KEVIN DURANT last night hosted "The Spot: A Night of Jazz Benefiting the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation," the latest step in his "continual effort to give back to Oklahoma City." The event "combined a silent auction of sports memorabilia, live music, and a major turnout of Thunder celebrity with all proceeds going to Durant's charity and his Build It and They Will Ball initiative." Durant via that effort will "build and renovate a second court at North Highland Elementary School in Oklahoma City and courts across the U.S." (OKLAHOMAN, 3/21)....Stars G KARI LEHTONEN "designed a new mask" that he wore Saturday for Military Appreciation Night and will now auction it off to raise funds for the Lone Survivor Foundation (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3/21)....Steelers Chair DAN ROONEY and his wife PATRICIA on Thursday hosted the American Ireland Fund Gala at Heinz Field (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 3/21).
NAMES: Heat G DWYANE WADE at the team's 19th annual Family Festival yesterday "jumped alongside" rapper VANILLA ICE as he was performing "ICE ICE BABY" (MIAMI HERALD, 3/21)....Cowboys WR DEZ BRYANT and golfer JORDAN SPIETH attended Friday's Warriors-Mavericks game, and actor ICE CUBE attended yesterday's Trail Blazers-Mavericks game (DALLASNEWS.com, 3/20)....Actor CHANNING TATUM was "in on the driver's meeting" at yesterday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400, and actor ERIC STONESTREET "made his now annual appearance" at the event (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 3/21).
