Loeffler said that he will set the Avalon Hollywood theater up for about 800 fansGETTY IMAGES
Boxing promoter TOM LOEFFLER, who currently reps GENNADY GOLOVKIN, has "launched his own 360 Promotions" and is planning "for a regular series." The series, dubbed "HOLLYWOOD FIGHT NIGHTS," will take place on Tuesday nights "every other month" at the Avalon Hollywood theater. Loeffler said that he will set the theater up for "about 800 fans." The inaugural card "will take place on March 27" (ESPN.com, 2/26).
JOB WELL DONE: Former First Tee Exec Dir JOE BARROW JR., who retired in November after 18 years with the organization, will be "honored at the sixth annual First Coast Celebration of Golf Banquet as the fourth recipient of the Deane Beman Award for service to golf." The banquet will be at the World Golf HOF in St. Augustine. Former PGA Tour Commissioner TIM FINCHEM said, "The way (Barrow) articulated -- to thousands of people from all across the country -- the mission of The First Tee and its positive impact on young people and the game of golf underpinned the growth of the program for nearly two decades" (JACKSONVILLE.com, 2/26).
MOVIN' ON UP: THE ATHLETIC's Meghan Montemurro profiles Phillies Coordinator for Player Development DANA PARKS, who is "one of three women" in the team's 11-person player development department. She is part of the "eight women who the Phillies have hired" since the end of the '17 season. Parks said, "I've been really fortunate with the people I've worked with who've been amazing and over the top, and don't see my gender just like they don't notice I have green eyes and brown hair. None of that matters or should matter as far as how I do my job" (THEATHLETIC.com, 2/27).
BET'S A BET: U.S. Ski & Snowboard VP/Communications TOM KELLY was walking around Pyeongchang with a "pink beard and mustache" during the Games. Kelly owes the look to Gold Medal-winning U.S. cross country skier KIKKAN RANDALL whose "pink highlights have been part of her brand for nearly her entire career." Before the '10 Vancouver Games, Kelly told Randall that if she won an Olympic medal, he would "dye his hair pink." After Randall won Gold in the team sprint, Kelly "fulfilled his end of the deal" (ADN.com, 2/26).
NAMES: Phillies Managing Partner JOHN MIDDLETON yesterday "moved to settle his family's grinding legal depute" by agreeing to pay $22M to his sister, ANNA NUPSON, after she "dropped accusations that she had been shortchanged in the sale of the family's cigar company" (PHILLY.com, 2/26)....JOE BIDEN will be “among the speakers” at a Duquesne Univ. event on March 16 to honor the memory of the late Steelers Owner DAN ROONEY (TRIBLIVE.com, 2/26)....Texans DE J.J. WATT “isn’t holding his annual charity softball game this year” as he focuses on rehabilitating his broken leg. Watt tweeted that the event “will return next year” (CHRON.com, 2/26)....Gold Medal-winning U.S. gymnast SIMONE BILES will be the keynote speaker at the annual Champion Honors Luncheon benefiting the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center on March 9 in Coachella Valley (DESERTSUN.com, 2/26)....Warriors F DRAYMOND GREEN has “signed a franchise deal” to open 20 Blink Fitness gyms in Michigan and Chicago (CRAINSDETROIT.com, 2/26)....Former Yankees GM BOB WATSON is currently “battling kidney disease” in Houston. He said both of his children “offered to donate kidneys” to him. However, he said, “I told them both the same thing: ‘I’ve had a good life and I don’t want to take a kidney from young people who really need them and still have their whole lives ahead of them.’ That would be very selfish on my part” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/27).
