Hawks coach LLOYD PIERCE "delivered a speech focused on criminal-justice reform and ending voter suppression and police brutality before the Georgia NAACP’s peaceful 'March on Georgia' event" yesterday, which included a march to the state Capitol. Hawks players VINCE CARTER, JOHN COLLINS, KEVIN HUERTER, DAMIAN JONES and BRUNO FERNANDO also "participated in the march, as well as several assistant coaches." Hawks Owner TONY RESSLER recently announced the team's plans to "help register voters, and Pierce built on that" yesterday, mentioning the Hawks are "trying to make State Farm Arena a polling place" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 6/16).
NAMES: Golden Knights in-arena host WAYNE DANIELSON announced his "departure from the team." Danielson said that he is relocating to Nashville to "become an afternoon host" on country music radio station WSIX-FM. He was hired by the Golden Knights before the inaugural season and partnered with co-hosts MARK SHUNOCK and KATIE MARIE JONES, "entertaining fans before and during games" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 6/16).
IN MEMORY: Former Purdue AD MORGAN BURKE, the longest serving athletic director in Purdue history, died at his home yesterday after "battling a rare disease for the past year." Burke had been "diagnosed with amyloidosis, an ailment caused by the buildup of an abnormal protein that prevents the body's organs from functioning properly." Burke's tenure was "characterized by his contention that he cared as much about winning in the classroom as he wanted to win on the athletic fields" (ESPN.com, 6/15)....Longtime Washington Post sportswriter WILLIAM GILDEA died on Sunday at age 81. Gildea wrote "lyrical features on horse racing, football, boxing, the Olympics and other sports and was the author of several books, including a memoir about his boyhood love of the Baltimore Colts." The cause of his death was "complications from Parkinson’s disease" (WASHINGTON POST, 6/16).
