Bowling takes center stage with top women in sports
Part of the USBC contingency joined legendary Billie Jean King (black dress) in celebrating the Salute to Girls and Women in Sport. They were, from left: former USBC board member Elaine Hagin, USBC Vice President Marketing/Communications Tom Clark, Diandra Asbaty, Liz Johnson and Kelly Kulick and USBC director Barb Chrisman.
Liz Johnson (left) and Diandra Asbaty (right) celebrated the Salute to Girls and Women in Sport with media columnist/commentator Christine Brennan who also served as a commentator for the U.S. Women's Open.
Bowling stars (from left) Kelly Kulick, Diandra Asbaty and Liz Johnson were among more than 50 athletes competing in the Grand March of Athletes at Monday night's Salute to Girls and Women in Sports.
Seated at the USBC table at the 2007 Salute to Girls and Women in Sports were, front row, from left: Amplify's Michael Neuman, USBC director Barb Chrisman, Octagon's Jennifer Keene and USBC Vice President Marketing/Communications Tom Clark; back row: New York proprietor Joe LaSpina, Kelly Kulick, former USBC director Elaine Hagin, Diandra Asbaty, Liz Johnson and Luby Publishing President Keith Hamilton.
Fresh off her victory Sunday in the U.S. Women's Open, a United States Bowling Congress event, Liz Johnson proudly joined superstars from bowling and more than 50 other sports in Monday night's Grand March of Athletes at the 2007 Salute to Girls and Women in Sports at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City.
Johnson was joined by two other U.S. Women's Open competitors, Kelly Kulick and Diandra Asbaty, in the march that kicked off the evening. Athletes ranging from track legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee to Olympic medal-winning snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler also were welcomed to the stage one-by-one by distance swimming legend and NPR commentator Diana Nyad. The climax moment of the March occurred as Billie Jean King, founder of the Women's Sports Foundation, received thunderous applause and a standing ovation.
"It was a sense of pride to attend the spectacular U.S. Women's Open on Sunday in Reno and then attend the Women's Sports Foundation dinner at the Waldorf Astoria on Monday night in New York City and getting the chance to bring along the Open champion Liz Johnson was icing on the cake," said USBC Vice President Marketing/Communications Tom Clark.
"It's an honor to be here," Kulick added.
Joining the three bowling stars and Clark at the USBC-sponsored table were USBC board member Barb Chrisman, former USBC board member Elaine Hagin, Luby Publishing President Keith Hamilton, Amplify's Michael Neuman, Octagon's Jennifer Keene and New York bowling proprietor Joe LaSpina. Also in attendance and spending much time at the USBC table was USA Today columnist and ABC-TV commentator Christine Brennan who was fresh off her role on the U.S. Women's Open broadcast team on ESPN.
"It is a great privilege to support the Women's Sports Foundation and Billie Jean King in all her efforts," Clark said. "The USBC is committed to women's bowling. With more than one million women and girls as members of our organization, NCAA status for women's bowling and the upcoming PBA Women's Series being sponsored by the USBC, bowling continues to be a great avenue for girls and women across the country."
More than 60 of the planet's top athletes and a handful of celebrities, including Academy Award-winner Holly Hunter and undefeated boxer Laila Ali, celebrated the achievements of girls and women in sports. The event raised more than $1.5 million that will be turned into grants and education and advocacy-related programming.
"This is my favorite event of the year. Of all the things I get to do, watching the athletes walk across the stage is so phenomenal," said Grammy Award winner and self-proclaimed athlete, Sheryl Crow.
The awards portion of the show included presentations and moving acceptance speeches for the following honors:
The Billie Jean King Contribution Award went to the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history, Michelle Kwan. Kwan was recognized for her significant contribution to the Women's Sports Foundation and to the development and advancement of women's sports by inspiring girls and women to become healthier through sports, fitness or physical activity. Always a forward thinker, Kwan proclaimed her continued commitment, "I look forward to working with the Foundation to provide more opportunities in sports." The Wilma Rudolph Courage Award, which is presented to a female athlete who exhibits extraordinary courage in her athletic performance and demonstrates the ability to overcome adversity, was shared by the Rutgers women's basketball team. The Rutgers team was the subject of offensive remarks from radio show host Don Imus after making it to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament. Under the passionate leadership of Coach C. Vivian Stringer, the team showed exemplary poise and dignity in the wake of such bigotry. The Sportswoman of the Year Award, the top honors of the evening, went to Lorena Ochoa and Monica Abbott, individual and team Sportswomen of the Year. Ochoa dominated the Ladies Professional Golfers Association Tour, winning six titles in 2006 and taking over the top ranking on the tour from Annika Sorenstam in 2007. This year, Ochoa broke the single-year prize earnings record, winning more than $3 million. Asbaty was among the finalists, a rarity for bowling to make it that far. The Sportswoman of the Year Award for team sports went to softball's Monica Abbott of the University of Tennessee. Abbott set the record for the most strikeouts in a single NCAA Division I season and pitched to a NCAA-best 50 wins with 29 shutouts. In her heartfelt acceptance speech, Abbott said, "I hope that I can be an inspiration to girls to work hard and achieve their goals. And I challenge all female athletes, not just to be role models, but to be ambassadors for women's sports." Later in the evening, a special tribute was made to one of the most influential ambassadors in the history of women's sports - Dr. Donna Lopiano. Lopiano stepped down from her position as Women's Sports Foundation CEO after 15 years at the helm. "Donna Lopiano has made a strong and lasting impression on the Women's Sports Foundation and her never-ending commitment to advance the lives of girls and women from all walks of life will forever be part of the organization's history," said Ilana Kloss, chair of the Women's Sports Foundation's Board of Trustees.
The spirit of the Annual Salute was poetically captured by Essence Carson, captain of the Rutgers women's basketball team. "We thank the sport of basketball for bringing 10 young women together. We thank society for making us aware. We thank the media for allowing America to hear our story. We thank the Women's Sports Foundation for what it has done for women in sports for the past 30 years and this honor tonight. And lastly, we thank God for making us women."
