THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 14, 1995 TAG: 9505120217
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 28 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Lee Tolliver
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
Bruce Smith brings his horde of professional athlete friends into town next weekend for the sixth annual Bruce Smith Celebrity Golf Classic.
Things have changed somewhat this year, but that's typical as Smith is always looking to improve the Hampton Roads Community Foundation fundraising event. The group was formed last year to help local charities.
The golf tournament has been moved from Kiln Creek in Newport News back to its original home at Hell's Point. A celebrity shootout, featuring pros who are better at the game than others, will get under way at 8:30 a.m. - before the shotgun start of the regular golf tournament at noon. And a spectator gallery has been added so that fans can come out and watch the fellas play golf. Tickets are $10.
But the day has been changed from its usual Sunday to Monday.
``It's better for everybody involved,'' said organizer Gene Bunn.
Another new twist this season is the celebrity fishing tournament. Using the golf team format of a celebrity teamed with four paying players, the fishing tournament will be held Sunday morning with awards that afternoon at Mahi Mah's. The team with the greatest total weight in any species of fish will win the inaugural event.
Sunday afternoon, other celebrities will play softball at Harbor Park after the Norfolk Tides game. Admission to the Tides game gets you in the softball game.
That evening, it's the auction party - the big fundraiser of the event - at the Norfolk Marriott.
Tickets are $100. Call 467-2090 for reservations.
Following the golf, there will be an awards party at the golf course and tickets are $25. Then there will be a farewell gig at Mami Mah's at 8:30 p.m.
There will be a kick-off party on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Norfolk Live inside Gate 2 of the Norfolk Naval Station. Tickets are $5 and are available at all area Arby's. A welcoming party will be held at Picasso's on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Aside from Smith, professional athletes who will attend this year include Dan Marino, Marcus Allen, Bruce Armstrong, Cornelius Bennett, Drew Bledsoe, Eugene Chung, Matt Darby, Keith Goganious, Tommy Graves, Eddie Hospodar, Bernie Kosar, Jim Kelly, Terry Kirby, Reggie Langhorne, Leslie O'Neal, Darren Perry, Johnny Rembert, Ed Reynolds, Chris Slade, Darryl Talley, Steve Tasker, Derrick Thomas and many others. ILLUSTRATION: Staff file photos by STEVE EARLEY
Thurman Thomas of the Bills looks over a green while playing partner
Ben Wainwright stays dry at last year's event.
Former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar signs the back of Dana
Thieman's T-shirt last year. Kosar, now a Dolphin, will be back this
year.
by CNB