Mavericks G J.J. BAREA and Owner MARK CUBAN visited Puerto Rico last week, and Cuban said that his first trip to the island was an "impactful one." Barea noted that while the two made the visit to film an episode of Paramount Network's "BAR RESCUE," they also "fixed up a basketball court, a baseball field and a youth center." Barea: "We fixed up a bar that got destroyed in [Hurricane Maria]. It was a bar for the locals, not touristy." Cuban added, "I was glad I could ... bring more awareness to the status of the island" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/24).
NAMES: PRESIDENT OBAMA has "accepted an offer to become an honorary member" of Beverly Country Club in Chicago. He will "be charged only when he brings guests." The club has the "same arrangement" with former NHLer JACK O'CALLAHAN -- an association that helped Beverly land Blackhawks C JONATHAN TOEWS and RW PATRICK KANE as members (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 4/21)....S.F.-based KGO-ABC sports anchor MIKE SHUMANN was "sent home from the NBA playoffs after video surfaced of him taking a jacket that belonged" to Warriors Dir of Team Security RALPH WALKER following one of the team's practices in San Antonio last week (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/24)....Panthers QB CAM NEWTON yesterday held a “surprise shopping spree for 20 local children from Special Olympics North Carolina.” Each child “received a $200 Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card and a chance to spend time shopping with Newton during the event” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 4/24)….NFL Draft prospect SHAQUEM GRIFFIN “got the ‘TODAY’ show treatment” yesterday (ORLANDOSENTINEL.com, 4/23).
IN MEMORY: Former A’s co-Owner KEN HOFMANN “died Sunday night” at the age of 95. Hofmann preferred “staying in the background and was rarely interviewed, whether it was in his role as a homebuilder, a philanthropist or as part-owner” of both the A’s and Seahawks. Hofmann and STEVE SCHOTT bought the A’s from WALTER HAAS JR. for $72M in ’95, “fulfilling their promise to keep the team in Oakland.” Schott and Hofmann later “sold the team” to JOHN FISHER and LEW WOLFF for $180M in ’05. Hofmann “first became a pro sports owner” when he and KEN BEHRING purchased the Seahawks in ’98. They owned the team for “nine years before selling” to PAUL ALLEN in ’97 (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 4/24)....Brewers TV analyst DAVEY NELSON died yesterday at 73 after a “battle with liver cancer.” Nelson “held a variety of roles” since ’01 with the Brewers. In ’06, Nelson “moved into a broadcasting role as analyst” for FS Wisconsin and also “served in the team’s front office” as Dir of Alumni Relations. It was his “easy-going, affable nature that always left friends and acquaintances smiling” (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 4/24).
