ahigan Daily - Wednesday, July 10, 1996
E.
THE Focus
Celebrities flock to Bo Schembechler's
annual golf tournament to raise money
in the fight against cancer
Wolverine legend and tournament host
Bo Schembechler chats with fans.
Sparky Anderson may be the
best-loved, and largest, sports
personality in Detroit for the
last 20 years.
But don't tell that to Sparky, who left
the Detroit Tigers after last season.
There's a bigger man on campus.
"I always said when I was here when
people asked me, 'Who's the most
famous person in Michigan?' I said the
most famous person in Michigan is Bo
Schembechler,' Anderson said. "Think
about it. There has never been anybody,
even now, more famous than him - no
millionaire or billionaire.
"And it shows with this golf outing."
The golf event Anderson was refer-
ring to was Monday's fourth annual
Millie Schembechler Memorial Golf
Classic at the University of Michigan
Golf Course.
Anderson was one of 33 celebrities
who participated in the charity event
started by Bo in 1993, after his wife
Millie died of adrenal cancer one year
earlier.
All proceeds from this tournament
will go to the University Medical Center
Adrenal Cancer Fund. In the last three
tournaments, over $1 million has been
donated to the cancer research fund.
Schembechler - Michigan's football
coach from 1969-1989, the Wolverines'
athletic director from 1988-90 and
President of the Detroit Tigers from
1990-93 -knows that for a type of can-
cer that as yet has no cure, a lot of
money must be raised,
"If we don't make a quarter of a mil-
-lion, we're going to have a tough time of
achieving our goals," Schembechler
said. "We proba-
bly need about
$3.25 million to W/hen
have the program
we want, so we asked me
have a long way
to go." most fa
The event got N
under way a little in Michigd
past 10 a.m. on a
picture-perfect ,, DO Sc
day, with
Michigan's past
and present get- Forr
ting together to
swing the clubs and just talk.
All the major Wolverine coaches par-
ticipated in the event. Football coach
Lloyd Carr, 1995-96 NCAA Champion
hockey coach Red Berenson and base-
ball coach Geoff Zahn hit the links,
while basketball coach Steve Fisher put
in a supportive
appearance.'
"It's not only a
great cause, but it
also brings a lot of
great people togeth-
er," Carr said. "The
amount of moneyY
they have raised in1
such a short time is
wonderful, but we
need to find a cure
for that disease. It's
amazing what athlet-
ics can do."
But with the line;
of golf carts includ-
ing former
Wolverine wide
receiver Anthony
Carter, Tiger short-
stop Allan Trammell
and baseball Hall of
Famers Yogi Berra
and Al Kaline,
there's no doubt howY
powerful these ath-
letes are.
Fans bought tick-
ets to see former
maize-and-blue ath-k
letes compete
against football and
baseball greats on
the course. There
were 36 foursomes
for the tournament
and the rules were Former Detroit Tiger manager Sparky Anderson lines up a putt.
best ball play. think of missing the event.
Barton Hills Country Club pro Doug "I always love coming back to Ann
White teamed with three others to shoot Arbor," Harbaugh said. "I have the
an 18-under- greatest time in the world."
cially so for
Anderson and
Detroit Lions' head
coach Wayne Fontes,
who shouted at each
other after Anderson
holed out atI0-foot
putt on the ninth
hole.
A n d e r s 0 n ,
dressed in an Indiana
polo shirt and a red
minor-league cap,
clearly pointed out
where one of Fontes'
balls had landed.
"We found your
ball under a tree,"
Anderson hollered
with a hoarse, loud
voice. Fontes had
earlier yelled from
the green after
Anderson's chip shot
came up way short
of the hole, "Take a
mulligan, Sparky!"
And when Berra
was asked how he
was hitting, he avoid-
ed the question and
said that he was just
having a lot of fun.
Berra drew the
largest crowd. Fans
of all ages swarmed
MARGARET MYERS/Daily his 'olf cart to get
autographs and take
pictures with the Yankee catching great.
While the event was filled with
Michigan alums, there was a large con-
tingent of celebrities who did not put on
the maize and blue. Most notable was
Indiana basketball coach Bob Knight,
who was playing in enemy territory. He
was, however, one of the crowd
favorites. Many fans dressed in Hoosier
attire, following their favorite basketball
coach around.
Michigan State football coach Nick
Saban came too.
"I think this is a great event for a great
cause," Saban said "And I think Bo
Schembechler is a great coach, for all of
us, not just for the University of
Michigan. I'm just happy and pleased
that he would include (Michigan State)
in such a great event and I am just happy
to be here."
The golf outing struck a personal
chord for Michigan athletic director Joe
Roberson.
Roberson also lost his wife, Barbara,
to cancer after 34 years of marriage.
"Since Bo and I have something
common, it is very important to I4
supportive to this cause as I car
Roberson said. "It's just great to ha
this type of turnout they have in terms
celebrities and the number of peop
who are paying to support cane
research, which is something we all ha
to get behind."
Michigan Gov. John Engler agreed
"I think Bo should be congratulate[
Engler said. "It raises a lot of money
cancer research. This particular ca
that took Millie's life is one that can u
this special focus. He has friends that a
coming from all over the country to
here to make this successful and it is.'
Anderson best summed t
Schembechler and the event.
"This event can only take place wi
someone who has a lot of commani
Anderson said. "And Bo has that cot
mand."
When asked if he would ever mi:
tournament, Anderson said, "I w
never miss this. Anything Bo asks me
do, I will do."
Judging by the celebrity turnout I
the fourth straight year, it seems tI
others have the same sentiment
Sparky.
U
-.
0
aO
III
par 53 to win
t eople the tourna-
"" ment.
'Who' ste But win-
ning was not
)us person what the
celebrities
In?' Isaid were out to
do. They were
em bechler there to soak
in the weath-
-Sparky Anderson er, sink some
er Tigers manager putts and just
have fun. But
most of all, people praised Bo and spoke
fondly of Millie.
It was especially important for ex-
Michigan quarterback Jim Harbaugh to
be there. Even though he showed up a
little late, the Wolverines' signal caller
from 1983-86 said he wouldn't even
Not only was Harbaugh a quarter-
back for Schembechler, but he was
close to the family as early as grade
school.
"I grew up with the family and Millie
was always so sweet to me. And for Bo,
the whole atmosphere and seeing every-
one - it's a great time."
On his first hole, Harbaugh hardly
made a name for himself, however. His
tee shot rolled on the ground maybe 50
yards off to the right. A fan watching
yelled out, "Give the man a mulligan,
he's $4 million richer now," referring to
the one-year, $4 million contract
Harbaugh signed just days earlier with
the Indianapolis Colts.
It was that kind of a day, with celebri-
ties shouting back and forth at one
another, bragging at shots they or their
teammates had just hit. This was espe-
MARGARET MYERs/Dai
Former Michigan quarterback Jim
Harbaugh works on his drive.