Thunder G RUSSELL WESTBROOK on Thursday "hosted more than 60 homeless children at his fifth annual Why Not? Foundation Holiday Party at the City Rescue Mission in downtown Oklahoma City." Westbrook "gave away Jordan Brand T-shirts, shoes and backpacks" (OKLAHOMAN, 12/16)....NASCAR driver KEVIN HARVICK on Thursday helped "two sets of siblings from two different families," ages 10-15, enjoy a "holiday shopping spree" courtesy of his foundation and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet in Matthews, N.C. (MOTORSPORT.com, 12/15).
ON THE BIG SCREEN: Packers QB AARON RODGERS will be featured in the Jan. 9, 10:30pm ET episode of ABC's new game show, "BIG FAN." In each half-hour episode, hosted by ANDY RICHTER, three fans "battle it out to see who knows the most about the featured celebrity" (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 12/16)....A comedy gala hosted by Predators D P.K. SUBBAN will be "broadcast as a one-hour TV special in the new year." The special, titled, "P.K. SUBBAN: SHOTS FIRED," sees him "showcase his comedic chops" (CP, 12/15).
NAMES: Marlins Spanish-language radio play-by-play announcer RAFAEL "FELO" RAMIREZ on Wednesday had Field #3 at Tropical Park named after him at a dedication ceremony officiated by Miami-Dade County Commissioner JAVIER SOUTO. Ramirez, 93, has spent the past 23 years as WAQI-AM's "Voice of the Marlins" (MIAMI HERALD, 12/16)....Ravens K JUSTIN TUCKER, who also is a proficient opera singer, recently took part in the singing of "O Holy Night" at the Catholic Charities Christmas Festival at the Basilica in Baltimore (BALTIMORESUN.com, 12/15)....Former NFLers JERMAINE WIGGINS and MAX LANE on Thursday joined the Boston Pops brass to narrate "Twas the Night Before Christmas" (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/16)....Musicians BRYAN ADAMS, ARKELLS and COLD CREEK COUNTY will provide the entertainment for the '17 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic between the Maple Leafs and Red Wings (NHL)....Nets G JEREMY LIN appears in comic book writer GREG PAK’s latest issue of Marvel’s “TOTALLY AWESOME HULK” (ESPN.com, 12/15).
IN MEMORY: W.J. “BILL” USERY JR., a “widely respected labor-management troubleshooter” who attempted to mediate the ’94-95 MLB strike, died Dec. 10 in Eatonton, Ga. at the age of 92. The “cause was a heart ailment.” In October ‘94, PRESIDENT CLINTON asked Usery to “serve as a federal mediator in the months-old baseball work stoppage.” The impasse remained until then-federal judge SONIA SOTOMAYOR, now a U.S. Supreme Court justice, “issued an injunction that ended the strike and prevented the owners from unilaterally creating dramatic new work rules.” It “proved one of the few times in Usery’s career when he was unable to lead his parties to a settlement” (WASHINGTON POST, 12/16). Usery in '75 also “helped salvage fall football as the mediator between striking players” and NFL owners (N.Y. TIMES, 12/16).
