St. Peter is among one of the longest-tenured sports executives ever in the Twin CitiesGETTY IMAGES
The Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE's Jim Souhan profiled Twins President & CEO DAVE ST. PETER, who "ranks as one of the longest-tenured sports executives in the Twin Cities" and is also an "American success story." St. Peter has "proved that if he gets one foot in the door, he will kick it open with the other." But sometimes, the door "swings back hard." In an industry "defined by change and with a team that has become willing to fire even its most beloved figures, St. Peter is the rare sports executive who survives franchise slumps" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/19).
SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS: The Senators and former Assistant GM RANDY LEE are being sued for "negligence over allegations he harassed a hotel shuttle bus driver last year in Buffalo." The driver claims that Lee, while riding as a passenger, "inappropriately touched himself while making lewd comments and rubbing the driver's shoulders" (AP, 5/17).
TEXAS ROOTS: The HOUSTON CHRONICLE's Jenny Dial Creech profiled Win-Win Founder & CEO MIKE TAUILIILI BROWN, whose company "combines the online gaming experience with charitable giving." Win-Win "connects fans with athletes through fantasy sports." Users "choose an athlete-sponsored fantasy tournament to join -- the majority of the entry fee is then donated to the sponsoring athlete’s chosen charity." Instead of winning money, users can "win anything from an autographed jersey to dinner with the athletes" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 5/19).
THE GOOD STUFF: Former Red Sox CEO JOHN HARRINGTON and Phillies broadcaster TOM MCCARTHY will be inducted into the Irish American Baseball HOF on June 28 (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/20)....Bengals QB ANDY DALTON received the 18th Call to Courage Award in Buffalo on Saturday in front of a "capacity crowd of 750" at the local Hyatt Regency (BUFFALO NEWS, 5/18)....ROGER PENSKE will be honored at next year's silver anniversary of the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance from March 5-8 (JACKSONVILLE.com, 5/18)....DAN MARINO and JASON TAYLOR were "reunited Friday for a festive Taylor charity event" in Ft. Lauderdale that honored both Marino and a survivor of the '18 Stoneman Douglas shooting (MIAMI HERALD, 5/18)....CHARLES BARKLEY pledged $45,000 to Bucks G MALCOLM BROGDON's non-profit organization Hoops2o (USATODAY.com, 5/18)....Tigers P MATTHEW BOYD and his wife, ASHLEY, have "raised $100,000 toward the land and additional house" they need for their Kingdom Home in Uganda, which provides refuge for children who were victims or at risk of being victims of the child sex trade (DETROIT NEWS, 5/18).
NAMES: ASHLEY WELCH, the fiancee of IndyCar driver JOSEF NEWGARDEN, and HAILEY MCDERMOTT, fiancee of SIMON PAGENAUD, "wore 'Not YOUR Body, Not YOUR Choice" shirts Saturday during Indy 500 qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The shirts were in response to the "recent passage of restrictive abortion laws" in certain states (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 5/19)....The city of Akron unveiled a new mural of LEBRON JAMES at the Maple Valley Branch Library (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 5/20)....The Univ. of Texas is "set to approve a two-year contract extension" for football coach TOM HERMAN. The deal would run through '23 and keep Herman's guaranteed annual base salary at $3.5M (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 5/19).
