People & Places: Bob Costas to headline Salvation Army's William Booth Society Dinner on April 18
BY DANNA SUE WALKER People & Places
Sunday, March 03, 2013
3/03/13 at 5:49 PM
Correction: The photo caption with this column originally contained the incorrect spelling of a last name. It has been corrected. Original Print Headline: Salvation Army event brings Bob Costas
Bob Costas is a sports guy extraordinaire - a man with a lot of heart for athletic competitions of many kinds.
The veteran sportscaster and Olympic commentator will bring that love of the game to Tulsa when he headlines the Salvation Army's William Booth Society Dinner on April 18 at the Tulsa Convention Center.
As the face and voice of NBC Sports, Costas is best known for covering the Olympics, the Super Bowl and the Kentucky Derby. A devoted baseball fan and expert on the sport, Costas was once in consideration as baseball commissioner and is the author of "Fair Ball: A Fan's Case for Baseball."
The first time Costas visited baseball legend Stan Musial's St. Louis eatery, he left a $3.31 tip in homage to Musial's lifetime batting average (.331). He delivered the eulogy - heralded as nothing short of a masterpiece - at Musial's funeral earlier this year and gave the eulogy at Mickey Mantle's funeral in 1995.
Winner of 19 Emmys for sports broadcasting, Costas has also been honored as Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association a record eight times. He won first in 1985, when at 33 he became the youngest person at that time to win the award. He added awards in 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997 and 2000.
In March 2000, Costas was named Favorite Sportscaster at the TV Guide Awards, based on balloting by readers of TV Guide magazine. He is listed as one of the top 50 Sportscasters of All Time by the American Sportscasters Association.
The William Booth Society Dinner, named for The Salvation Army's founder, is the largest source of funding for the outreach programs that include the Center of Hope homeless shelter, Christmas assistance, addiction recovery and the Boys & Girls Clubs. Last year, The Salvation Army served more than 559,732 people in the Tulsa area.
The theme of the April 18 dinner is "Great Futures Start Here," focusing on the success of The Salvation Army's six Boys & Girls Clubs in metro Tulsa. The clubs offer after-school tutoring, sports and summer activities for more than 6,000 area youths.
Students from the six area clubs will showcase their leadership and artistic skills with decorations and entertainment for the event.
The roster of former Tulsa Boys & Girls Club members who have gone on to great futures includes athletes Felix Jones of the Dallas Cowboys, Robert Meachem of the San Diego Chargers, state Rep. Jabar Shumate, CBS sports analyst Spencer Tillman and former Sooner football star Darryl "Rocky" Bright, who now works in economic development for the Tulsa Regional Chamber.
"Young people in the Boys & Girls Clubs are gaining the skills they need to succeed both in school and future careers," says Charlotte Edmundson, event co-chair with her husband, Wade. "By helping with the William Booth Dinner, they have an opportunity to serve the greater community."
Committee members for the 2013 event include: Chris and Pam Amburgy, John and Ludi Beasley, Cason and Shelley Carter, Bill and Janice Chevaillier, Lezlie Colwell, Jim and Suzanne Kneal, Terry and Pat May, Jim and Marian McCarthy, John and Nancy Pilkington, Cassie Reese, Tom and Lisa Schooley, Will Smith, Steve and Dede Soule, Tom and Vicki Warburton, and Hearne and Pam Williford.
For more information, call Nancy Lloyd at 918-587-7801, ext. 131.
Associated Images:
William Booth Society Dinner co-chairs Wade and Charlotte Edmundson (left) prepare for the April 18 event with Salvation Army Majors April and Jim Taylor. CHRISTOPHER SMITH/Tulsa World
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