Lurie saw more than 3,300 participants come out for the inaugural Eagles Autism Challenge on May 19GETTY IMAGES
Eagles Owner JEFFREY LURIE in a special to SI notes the team is "committed to prioritizing autism research." The team created the Eagles Autism Challenge, a "signature cycling and 5K run/walk charity event dedicated to raising funds for innovative autism research." The inaugural Eagles Autism Challenge took place May 19 at Lincoln Financial Field. More than "3,300 participants came out" and more than $2.5M was "raised by the Challenge this year for autism research." Lurie: "A remarkable start for any first-year fund-raising effort. With time, our hope is that the Eagles Autism Challenge will be a signature event for funding autism research" (SI, 6/18 issue).
STAYING PUT: Boxer DAVID BENAVIDEZ returned a $250,000 signing-bonus check he received from Top Rank and will "continue fighting under the banner" of his promoter SAMPSON LEWKOWICZ and advisor AL HAYMON's Premier Boxing Champions. Benavidez’ possible defection to Top Rank, which is "financially backed by a less-than-year-old television deal with ESPN, ruffled sport insiders this past weekend and led to speculation that a protracted legal episode would keep the champion out of the ring." Top Rank Chair BOB ARUM said that the matter was "resolved after his attorneys huddled and decided 'to leave it up to the kid'" (LATIMES.com, 6/12).
NAMES: PGA of America President PAUL LEVY is "facing a misdemeanor DUI charge after veering off a road in California and hitting a sign last week." The PGA of America said that it will "support Levy as he seeks counseling and deals with the consequences of his arrest" (AP, 6/13)....The UnLIMBited Foundation's seven-year-old founder TOMMY MORRISSEY, a "golf prodigy who was born with one arm, accepted a check for $15,000" from Honda Classic Exec Dir KEN KENNERLY and Tournament Dir ANDREW GEORGE on behalf of the foundation (PALM BEACH POST, 6/14)....Hosts and crew members from Bravo’s “TOP CHEF” filmed the series in Rupp Arena on Tuesday with Kentucky basketball coach JOHN CALIPARI and UK fans on hand (COURIER-JOURNAL.com, 6/13)....The ESPYs are awarding this year’s “Best Coach Award” posthumously to three Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School coaches who “died shielding their students from gunfire” (AP, 6/13)....Yankees CF AARON HICKS and Ps DAVID ROBERTSON, CC SABATHIA and LUIS SEVERINO visited Public School 73 in the Bronx. They were joined by coach PHIL NEVIN and Senior VP & GM BRIAN CASHMAN yesterday for an assembly as part of the Yankees’ HOPE Week (MLB.com, 6/12)....Patriots CB CYRUS JONES and WR MALCOLM MITCHELL attended The Museum of Fine Arts’ annual Summer Party on Saturday (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 6/13).
