Tennis great Andre Agassi received the 2006 Sportsman of the Year Award at March of Dimes 23rd Annual Sports Luncheon on Wednesday, November 29 at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York. IndyCar® Series Driver, Danica Patrick, was honored with the Sportswoman of the Year Award; WNBA President Donna Orender with the Sports Leadership Award; and HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg with the Corporate Leadership Award. Dan Hicks and CBS News Anchor Hannah Storm emceed the program. CBS 2 Sports anchor and reporter Sam Ryan delivered the mission message on behalf of the March of Dimes. Jim Courier, Billie Jean King, and David Stern were on hand to present awards to the honorees. The event raised a record-breaking $600,0000; with over 700 guests attending.
Each year, the March of Dimes honors the outstanding achievements of men and women in the sports industry. Past recipients include New York Mets Manager Willie Randolph, New York Mets pitcher Al Leiter, NBA Commissioner David Stern, New York Yankee Roger Clemens, five-time Olympic Gold Medalist Jenny Thompson, 2001 Australian and French Open Tennis champion Jennifer Capriati, former NY Knick Patrick Ewing, and WNBA star Sheryl Swoops.
Sean McManus, President of CBS News and Sports, is the Luncheon Chairman. George Bodenheimer of ESPN, Inc. & ABC Sports, Dick Ebersol of NBC Sports, Ross Greenburg of HBO Sports, and David Hill of Fox Sports Television Group are Co-ChairmenLuncheon sponsors included Anheuser-Busch, Inc.; AOL.com; Cingular Wireless; Continental Airlines; ESPN; Fugazy International; General Motors; HBO Sports; HTN Communications; Indy Racing League; JPMorgan Chase; NBA/WNBA; Nets Sports and Entertainment LLC; New York Mets/SportsNet New York; PGA Tour; Sheila C. Johnson Foundation; SportsBusiness Journal; Turner Entertainment Group; USA Today; United States Tennis Association; and YES Network.
Funds raised at the event will go to support the March of Dimes and help fund its Prematurity Campaign; a multi-year, multi-million dollar campaign to raise awareness of and reduce the rate of preterm birth.