THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 14, 1996 TAG: 9604130112
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 26 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Bill Leffler
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
Notes on a frayed white cuff. . . .
It seems only fitting that the recent Golden Anniversary Jamboree of the Portsmouth Sports Club was the most successful ever.
Sports Club president Bill Kline and Jamboree chairman Jimmy Williams can take bows for the production - which netted the Sports Club nearly $10,000 for the many charitable projects it supports.
``We had many whose support contributed greatly to the success of this event,'' said Williams. ``This, of course, will greatly assist the club in the future in all of the projects that we sponsor, primarily the Portsmouth Sports Club Foundation, from which we fund the scholarships that we award to the deserving student-athletes in the Portsmouth area.''
The Jamboree, headlined by former Pittsburgh Steelers all-NFL player Donnie Shell (now director of player relations with the Carolina Panthers), drew nearly 400 with eight paying attendants at 42 tables.
Charles Lee served as chairman of a 12-member program advertising committee that came up with the largest souvenir program ever. It contained 120 advertisements.
Williams and several others secured 15 additional business sponsors for the Jamboree.
``We weren't just celebrating our 50th year,'' said Williams. ``We were celebrating the founding of the club itself. Now we're looking forward to enjoying many more years of positive leadership, dedication and commitment to sports in our great city.''
The Sports Club has been awarding scholarships to high schools since 1973. Bill Lewis Chevrolet has been a long contributor of a grant in memory of W.O. Lewis, a past president of the club.
The Sports Club Foundation was created in 1991 and granted tax exempt status. The Foundation has raised nearly $65,000 since that time. This past year it was able to provide scholarships from interest received on the endowment principal for the first time.
Let's be in prayer for Wilson football/baseball coach Joe Ladisic, who was hoping to go home this weekend after recent surgery at Maryview Hospital.
A tumor was removed from his colon.
After recovery, he will meet with cancer specialists to determine his next step.
Before becoming a head coach, Ladisic was a longtime assistant to Darnell Moore at Wilson. Moore never played a football game that he didn't feel his team could win.
That positive attitude rubbed off on Ladisic. And he has the solid support of his many friends.
Seven of the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament players were invited to the week-long Phoenix camp, which opens on Monday with three days of practice and follows with games for three days.
The invites went to Moochie Norris of West Florida, Donta Bright of Massachusetts, Carlos Strong and Shandon Anderson of Georgia, Art Long of Cincinnati, Theron Wilson of Eastern Michigan and Tim Moore of Houston.
Long and Norris were chosen on the All-PIT team. Wilson, a late addition to the PIT field, played for K-Plus and scored only 24 points in the three games.
Two other PIT players drew earlier invitations to Phoenix - Iowa's Russ Millard and Brian Tolbert of Eastern Michigan. Arizona State's Ron Riley, who broke an ankle while playing here, also had been invited.
Yale Dolsey, co-chairman of the PIT player-selection committee, is leaving for Phoenix today to watch the Phoenix games.
``Other than wanting to see them again, the NBA picked these particular players more by position than anything else,'' said Dolsey. ``I think you will see a large number of PIT players going to the NBA camp in Chicago. Last year we had 32 who played in Portsmouth among the 60 at Chicago. And I look for just as many this year. Those at Chicago also include foreign players and those from the CBA.'' by CNB