I just received a call from my dear friend Bruno Sammartino letting me know he has been awarded the Dapper Dan Lifetime Achievement Award this year.  He was overwhelmed.  Fifteen people voted and he was picked unanimously. 

This is a very prestigious award, Bruno feels honored.

DAPPER DAN SPORTS BANQUET

74th Annual Dapper Dan Dinner & Sports Auction
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Petersen Events Center, Pitt campus
Cocktail Reception & Silent Auction: 6:00 pm
Dinner & Awards Program: 7:00 pm
All events located on basketball court floor
Parking at OC Lot/Entrance at Upper Lobby off Allequippa Street

Emcee: Bill Hillgrove

Vote for the 2009 Dapper Dan Sportsman & Sportswoman of the Year and Danny Awards: Click here

Bruno Sammartino
Lifetime Achievement Award

TICKETS:
Three levels of seating offered on the Peterson Events Center floor
$200 - Premium seats
$150 - General seats
$100 - Courtside seats

Call 412-263-3850 for tickets

SPONSORSHIP:
Call 412-263-3569 for details on sponsorship packages that offer preferred seating, VIP reception with the athletes, video recognition and more.

HOST HOTEL:
Westin Convention Center Hotel
1000 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15222
Call 412-281-3700 for the special Dapper Dan rate of $119 for single/double room per night.*
*Rate exclusive of taxes. Reservations must be made by March 26, 2009.

2010 EVENT FEATURES:

• A night of celebrities and the biggest names in Pittsburgh sports
• A celebration of sports excellence that honors the best athletes in high school, college and professional sports, while providing our community's youth with athletic opportunities, mentoring, leadership development and scholarships
• A look back at the history of sports at Civic/Mellon Arena as we honor one of its greatest performers
• Lifetime Achievement Award presentation to wrestling's living legend Bruno Sammartino
• Celebration of the 2009 City of Champions: Honoring the Steelers Super Bowl and Penguins Stanley Cup championships
• Presentations for the 2009 Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year
• "Danny" awards presented for the best play, best moment and breakthrough athlete of 2009
• Exciting atmosphere of the Petersen Events Center with event held on the court
• An incredible collection of more than 150 sports memorabilia items and one-of-a kind auction items up for bid
• Pittsburgh's original, largest and most prestigious sports banquet
• Dapper Dan Charities' signature fund raising event for the past 74 years - with 100% of net proceed benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania youth sports and education programs

DAPPER DAN BACKGROUND:
The Dapper Dan Dinner & Sports Auction has been Dapper Dan Charities’ signature fund raising event since 1936. This sports banquet was one of the first in the nation and served as the model for the hundreds of charity dinners featuring athletes that followed. It continues to be Pittsburgh’s largest and most prestigious sports banquet. The event is a celebration of scholarship and sports excellence that honors the best athletes in high school, college and professional sports, with proceeds benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania youth sports leagues.

Highlights include presentations for the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year, “Danny” awards for the best moments, plays, etc. in Pittsburgh sports, presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to one Western Pennsylvania sports legend and an incredible auction featuring more than 150 sports memorabilia items.

The list of Dapper Dan awardees represent the biggest names in sports including Billy Conn, Stan Musial, Bill Mazeroski, Roberto Clemente, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Paterno, Dan Marino, Mario Lemieux, Arnold Palmer, Ben Roethlisberger and most-recently, Sidney Crosby. Nominations are made by the Post-Gazette sports writers prior to the banquet and public voting helps determine the winners.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/dapperdan/dinner/#ixzz0bsGYoc2N