NFL Legends blitzed bowling pins for charity at fifth annual NFL Super Bowl Celebrity Bowling Classi
February 05, 2010
Four-Time Super Bowl Champion and "Dual-Sport" Hall of Famer Lynn Swann Returned as Event Host; Proceeds Benefitted the NFL's Youth Education Town Initiative.
MIAMI, FL – For the fifth year in a row, close to 40 NFL legends hit the lanes at the NFL Super Bowl Celebrity Bowling Classic, presented by NFL Charities and Strike Ten Entertainment (STE), the marketing arm of the bowling industry. Super Bowl legend, MVP of Super Bowl X and "dual-sport" Hall of Famer (both football and bowling), Lynn Swann, returned for a third straight year to serve as event host. This year's event, which was open to the public, was held at 7pm on Thursday, February 4 at SpareZ Lanes, located in Davie, FL, just minutes from Dolphin Stadium, the site of Super Bowl XLIV.
Swann, who is the second NFL legend to be celebrity-inducted into the bowling Hall of Fame, set the stage high for 2011 when he challenged fellow bowling Hall of Famer, Jerome Bettis to a bowling throw-down at next year's Super Bowl in Arlington, TX. – The home of the International Bowling Museum & Hall of Fame. "I was thrilled to once again take part in this outstanding annual event that benefits such a worthy cause," said Swann. "I look forward to shaming Jerome Bettis in 2011!"
Proceeds from the tournament will help fund the NFL's Youth Education Town (YET) initiative in South Florida. NFL Youth Education Towns (YETs) are education and recreation centers constructed in Super Bowl host cities that serve as a lasting legacy of each game. With each Super Bowl, the NFL donates $1 million towards YET development in an underserved area of that city. Presently, there are 15 YETs in 12 cities across the United States. As its legacy to the cities that host Super Bowls, the NFL establishes these learning and recreational centers.
In addition to taking part in the celebrity bowling classic, on Wednesday, February 3, the NFL greats teamed up with professional bowlers and led a private bowling clinic for local South Florida elementary school children, also held at SpareZ Lanes.
"We are pleased to have yet another successful year under our belt and to again leverage the tremendous fundraising power of bowling to assist in raising money for this wonderful cause," said Jim Sturm, president of STE and the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA). "Everyone who participated had a great time and we look forward to another very successful event in 2011."
"NFL Charities is grateful to have once again partnered with Strike Ten Entertainment and Lynn Swann for this enjoyable and profitable annual event," said Tournament Director, Nick Nicolosi. "We had a remarkable line-up of former NFL legends and as a result, were able to raise an impressive amount of money for YET development. The NFL Super Bowl Celebrity Bowling Classic is a success year after year and will continue to be an important fundraising tool for NFL Charities in the years to come."
Legendary NFL stars and Pro Football Hall of Fame members that participated in the Celebrity Bowling Classic included: OJ Anderson, Lem Barney, Hank Bauer, Jerry Blanton, Marlin Briscoe, Joey Browner, Jim Burt, Keith Byars, Mark Clayton, Parnell Dickinson, Al Dixon, Carl Eller, Marv Fleming, Chuck Foreman, Rodney Hampton, Reggie Haynes, Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson, Ted Hendricks, Ricky Hunley, Roy Jefferson, Brian Kelley, Ron Kramer, Sean Landeta, Randall McDaniel, Curtis McGriff, Michael Merriweather, Nat Moore, Lance Smith, Jessie Solomon, Darryl Talley, Charlie Taylor, Jimmy Taylor, Sandy Taylor, Stu Voight, Roger Wehrli and Fred Williamson.
The NFL Super Bowl Celebrity Bowling Classic was open to the public. Entry fees were a donation to NFL Charities of $300 per individual, $1,000 for teams (four bowlers).
MIAMI, FL – For the fifth year in a row, close to 40 NFL legends hit the lanes at the NFL Super Bowl Celebrity Bowling Classic, presented by NFL Charities and Strike Ten Entertainment (STE), the marketing arm of the bowling industry. Super Bowl legend, MVP of Super Bowl X and "dual-sport" Hall of Famer (both football and bowling), Lynn Swann, returned for a third straight year to serve as event host. This year's event, which was open to the public, was held at 7pm on Thursday, February 4 at SpareZ Lanes, located in Davie, FL, just minutes from Dolphin Stadium, the site of Super Bowl XLIV.
Swann, who is the second NFL legend to be celebrity-inducted into the bowling Hall of Fame, set the stage high for 2011 when he challenged fellow bowling Hall of Famer, Jerome Bettis to a bowling throw-down at next year's Super Bowl in Arlington, TX. – The home of the International Bowling Museum & Hall of Fame. "I was thrilled to once again take part in this outstanding annual event that benefits such a worthy cause," said Swann. "I look forward to shaming Jerome Bettis in 2011!"
Proceeds from the tournament will help fund the NFL's Youth Education Town (YET) initiative in South Florida. NFL Youth Education Towns (YETs) are education and recreation centers constructed in Super Bowl host cities that serve as a lasting legacy of each game. With each Super Bowl, the NFL donates $1 million towards YET development in an underserved area of that city. Presently, there are 15 YETs in 12 cities across the United States. As its legacy to the cities that host Super Bowls, the NFL establishes these learning and recreational centers.
In addition to taking part in the celebrity bowling classic, on Wednesday, February 3, the NFL greats teamed up with professional bowlers and led a private bowling clinic for local South Florida elementary school children, also held at SpareZ Lanes.
"We are pleased to have yet another successful year under our belt and to again leverage the tremendous fundraising power of bowling to assist in raising money for this wonderful cause," said Jim Sturm, president of STE and the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA). "Everyone who participated had a great time and we look forward to another very successful event in 2011."
"NFL Charities is grateful to have once again partnered with Strike Ten Entertainment and Lynn Swann for this enjoyable and profitable annual event," said Tournament Director, Nick Nicolosi. "We had a remarkable line-up of former NFL legends and as a result, were able to raise an impressive amount of money for YET development. The NFL Super Bowl Celebrity Bowling Classic is a success year after year and will continue to be an important fundraising tool for NFL Charities in the years to come."
Legendary NFL stars and Pro Football Hall of Fame members that participated in the Celebrity Bowling Classic included: OJ Anderson, Lem Barney, Hank Bauer, Jerry Blanton, Marlin Briscoe, Joey Browner, Jim Burt, Keith Byars, Mark Clayton, Parnell Dickinson, Al Dixon, Carl Eller, Marv Fleming, Chuck Foreman, Rodney Hampton, Reggie Haynes, Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson, Ted Hendricks, Ricky Hunley, Roy Jefferson, Brian Kelley, Ron Kramer, Sean Landeta, Randall McDaniel, Curtis McGriff, Michael Merriweather, Nat Moore, Lance Smith, Jessie Solomon, Darryl Talley, Charlie Taylor, Jimmy Taylor, Sandy Taylor, Stu Voight, Roger Wehrli and Fred Williamson.
The NFL Super Bowl Celebrity Bowling Classic was open to the public. Entry fees were a donation to NFL Charities of $300 per individual, $1,000 for teams (four bowlers).