With Dealer Sponsorship, Classic Breaks $3 Million Mark Raised for Leukemia & Lymphoma Research

With Dealer Sponsorship, Classic Breaks $3 Million Mark Raised for Leukemia & Lymphoma Research Largest Hall of Famer Turnout Ever

With over 600 generous guests and 43 committed sports Hall of Famers in attendance, Redskins legend Bobby Mitchell announced that the Bobby Mitchell/Toyota Hall of Fame Classic sponsored by The Washington Auto Dealers was the biggest gathering in the history of our tournament, and the largest ever reunion of Hall of Famers.

Last weekendês tournament cleared $440,000 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, breaking the $3 million mark in funds raised since the tournament’s inception in 1990. In just the last three years since WANADA became a primary sponsor, the Classic has raised more than $1.3 million, making it the regionês largest charity golf tournament.

Mitchell praised the all-out efforts of the eventês many sponsors, volunteers and Hall of Famers, who can command huge appearance fees, but have donated 100% of their time to this tournament year after year. “With the continuous support of my fellow Hall of Famers and sponsors, we hope to keep up this tradition, until The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society finds a cure.”

And that is happening. The survival rate of childhood leukemia, for example, has risen from 4% in the early 1960s to 80% today. Our efforts have really made a difference, said DARCARS Vice President Tamara Darvish, who again co-chaired the event with Michael Anzilotti, CEO of First Virginia Bank. Darvish introduced three young survivors as living proof, but added, We canêt give up this fight until we beat these dreadful diseases.

This yearês Classic honored Erik Vinson, an 11 year-old middle school athlete who is a survivor of Hodgkin’s disease, a specialized form of lymphoma. Erik and his family offered a moving account of his experiences and offered heartfelt thanks to all those who have supported the research efforts that have led to his successful recovery.

Erik was also the happy recipient of a football signed by all the Hall of Famers in attendance, which was generously donated to him by Judy Darvish, the high bidder during the live auction. Erik got a standing ovation when he caught the ball passed by the Redskinsê most famous quarterback, Sonny Jurgensen. And if that wasnêt enough, Erik won The Kids Putting Contest on Sunday and a new Dell computer.

The weekend events, held at the Lansdowne Resort in Lansdowne, VA, featured a Tournament Practice Round on Saturday, followed by a VIP private reception with the Hall of Famers and a chance to view and bid on a record number of items donated for the silent auction. Guests at Saturday nightês banquet were again treated to the high-energy performance of emcee Paul Berry, a longtime Washington broadcaster who was at his best driving up prices during the live auction, with a mixture of humor and heartfelt pleas for a great cause.

The highlight of the evening was, again, Bobby Mitchellês video tribute to WANADA and other tournament sponsors, which included Toyota, Comcast, Costco, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Delta Air Lines, Chrysler Jeep Dodge, Lansdowne Resort, Pepsi, First Virginia Bank, DARCARS and Sports Talk 980. (See page 4 for full list of sponsors.) The evening was capped with a drawing for a new Toyota RAV4 or Camry.

At Sundayês golf tournament, Hall of Famer Art Shell and his Washington Post team emerged as the Grand Prize winners of the Golf Classic with a score of 57! Gallery attendees competed in the “Toyota Shoot Out” closest-to-the-pin contest for a 2003 Toyota Corolla, won by Donnie Ouzts of Sterling, VA.

Joining this yearês Classic was 2003 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees Elvin Bethea and Joe DeLamielleure. Other Hall of Famers in attendance during the tournament weekend included Lem Barney, Bobby Bell, Mel Blount, Lou Creekmur, Bill Dudley, Ted Hendricks, Ken Houston, Sam Huff, Sam Jones, Sonny Jurgensen, Leroy Kelly, Paul Krause, Willie Lanier, Yale Lary, Dante Lavelli, Larry Little, Mike McCormack, Tommy McDonald, Lenny Moore, Anthony Munoz, Chuck Noll, Ace Parker, Joe Perry, Mel Renfro, Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, Billy Shaw, Art Shell, Bob St. Clair, Dwight Stephenson, Charley Taylor, Paul Warfield, Dave Wilcox, Kellen Winslow, and Ron Yary.

Defeating leukemia has been a goal of Mitchell’s since his pro ball days. “I was traded by the Cleveland Browns to the Washington Redskins for Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis in 1962,” said Mitchell, who was the first black player ever hired by the Redskins. Davis was diagnosed with leukemia shortly after the trade and never got to play a down of professional football. He died at the age of 23. To help find a cure for the disease, Mitchell teamed up with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Executive Director David Timko to create the tournament.