Billy Payne served as Chair at Augusta National from '06 until last yearGETTY IMAGES
Former Augusta National Chair BILLY PAYNE is "among five people selected for induction" into the World Golf HOF in '19, joining PGA Tour player RETIEF GOOSEN, former LPGA players JAN STEPHENSON and PEGGY KIRK BELL, and paraplegic player DENNIS WALTERS. Payne "stepped down" as ANGC Chair in '17 after "several notable achievements, including the admission of the club's first female members" in '12. Payne also "joined forces with golf's governing bodies" to create the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship, an annual event for children ages 7-15 that "attracts thousands of youngsters" to Augusta on the eve of The Masters (AUGUSTA CHRONICLE, 10/11).
BAD OPTICS: Former Adidas rep TJ GASSNOLA testified that the "shoe wars" between rival brands included "'black ops' involving secret payments to the families of prominent college basketball players," including Suns C DEANDRE AYTON,the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NBA Draft. Gassnola said that he "helped arrange clandestine payments" to the families of five prospects with the help of former Adidas execs JIM GATTO and MERL CODE and former agent CHRISTIAN DAWKINS. Gassnola said that he was "part of a team known within Adidas as 'black ops'" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/11).
READING LIST: DALE EARNHARDT JR. is releasing a memoir called "RACING TO THE FINISH: MY STORY." Earnhardt said that he "hated re-living" his career as he was putting the book together. He said that having to think about the highs and lows of his 17-year career "made it all real again -- and that was miserable" (CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.com, 10/10)....Longtime Montreal Gazette sportswriter PAT HICKEY is releasing a new book titled, "IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK," which is filled with "some of the best" stories from his time covering the Canadiens (MONTREALGAZETTE.com, 10/10).
NAMES: NASCAR team owner ROGER PENSKE will receive the '18 Spirit of Competition Award from the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum (Simeone Foundation)....Esports organization Gen.G is partnering with former NBAer CHRIS BOSH, who will take on the role of Player Management Advisor (Gen.G)....Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain F KYLIAN MBAPPE will appear on the "cover of Time magazine’s international edition" tomorrow. Time said that Mbappe is a "global superstar who 'is the future of soccer'" (AFP, 10/11)....76ers G BEN SIMMONS yesterday "surprised students at William Cramp Elementary" in Philadelphia by "showing up with 750 coats to hand out to kids in need" (PHILLY.com, 10/10)....Patriots Owner ROBERT KRAFT invited PAUL MCCARTNEY to "headline his exclusive fall bash" on Tuesday at Gillette Stadium. Those in attendance included Big Night Entertainment Founder ED KANE, Celtics Managing Partner WYC GROUSBECK, Highland Capital Partners' BOB DAVIS, Massachusetts Attorney General MAURA HEALEY and Fanatics Founder & Exec Chair MICHAEL RUBIN (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 10/10)....Rangers G HENRIK LUNDQVIST and RW MATS ZUCCARELLO "dined in style before kicking off their season inside a 12th-floor unit at 100 Barclay St. in Tribeca" (NYPOST.com, 10/10).
