Tennis, Anyone?

I'm fighting off a cold/sudden weather change tonight, so I thought I'd pass along something that was already written for me. Doug, who usually delivers PR info from Panini to fellow bloggers and hobby enthusiasts, let us know about an auction involving some legends of professional tennis. Personally, I remember rooting for Jennifer Capriati when I was young because she was roughly the same age as me and it blew my mind that someone my age could earn money playing a sport.

Check out what's being auctioned off here. Proceeds go to the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum.

MORE THAN 65 UNIQUE ITEMS AND EXPERIENCES ON THE AUCTION BLOCK AT THE 2010 LEGENDS BALL TO BENEFIT THE INTERNATIONAL TENNIS HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM

Hit Sessions with Tennis Greats, Grand Slam Tournament Tickets, Memorable Vacation Packages & More up for Bid on September 10 in New York City

NEW YORK, N.Y., August 30, 2010 – Guests attending The Legends Ball on September 10 at Cipriani 42^nd Street in New York City will rub elbows with tennis legends and industry leaders, honor the greats of the game and have the opportunity to support the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum by participating in a live and silent auction featuring a variety of exclusive items and experiences. All proceeds of the event will support the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history of tennis, inspiring junior tennis development, and providing a landmark for tennis enthusiasts worldwide.

More than 65 unique items will be on the block ranging from exclusive access at all four Grand Slams in 2011 to luxury Caribbean vacations, as well as unique opportunities such as hit sessions with tennis greats, celebrity meet and greets, tickets to major sporting events, autographed sports memorabilia and more. Auction items may be previewed online at: www.biddingforgood.com/tennisfameauction

Sotheby’s auctioneer Benjamin Doller will host a live auction at The Legends Ball for the following unique experiences:

• Two coveted Centre Court tickets to the 2011 Wimbledon Ladies Final and Gentlemen’s Final plus a three-night stay in a posh apartment in the Mayfair section of London.

• An extraordinary Australian Open package including two seats in the President’s Suite for the 2011 Australian Open Men’s and Women’s Finals; four nights accommodations at the Hilton on the Park in Melbourne; and two round-trip business class flights on Qantas. This package also features an exclusive hit session with Hall of Famer Patrick Rafter.

• Two Centre Court tickets to experience the grandeur of the 2011 French Open Men’s and Women’s Finals.

• Tickets and hospitality passes for all four major 2011 LPGA tournaments: Kraft-Nabisco Championship, The LPGA Championship, US Women’s Open, and the Ricoh Women’s British Open. In addition, during the US Women’s Open, the winning bidder will be invited to a private 30-minute wine-tasting with Annika Sorenstam, featuring artisan wines from the Annika wines label, created in partnership with Wente Wineyards.

Highlights of the silent auction will include:

Exclusive Experiences with Tennis Greats and Celebrities: A round of golf at LPGA International in Daytona Beach with 2010 Hall of Fame Inductee Gigi Fernandez and former LPGA Champion Jane Geddes; Tennis hit session with The Real Housewives of New York City star and tennis professional Mario Singer in New York City; a lunch for a young person with Miss Teen USA; a lunch with fashion guru Tim Gunn; a dinner with Hall of Fame President and 1970 Hall of Famer Tony Trabert; a hit session with tennis great Todd Martin in Florida; a round of golf with Hall of Famer Stan Smith at Harbour Town Golf Links; a weekend for two at the Van der Meer Shipyard Tennis Resort; and a one week junior session at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy and at the Evert Tennis Academy.

Tennis Tournament Ticket Packages: 2011 WTA Championships in Istanbul, Turkey; Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters; WTT Smash Hits Celebrity Event in Washington, DC; Opening Day at the 2011 French Open; BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells; Sony Ericsson Championship in Miami; and Opening Day at the 2011 US Open.

Luxury Vacation Packages: A one-week stay in a downtown Paris apartment; a one-week stay including golf, tennis and water sports at the beautiful Karma Bay Villa at the Tryall Club in Jamaica; a three-night getaway to Atlantis, Paradise Island in the Bahamas; several dream vacations for tennis fans including an escape to the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club; a weekend at Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa; and exclusive access to Antigua Tennis Week with Hall of Famers Owen Davidson and Fred Stolle, including a stay at Curtain Bluff Resort and playing spots in tennis clinics, pro-ams and more.

Autographed Memorabilia and Tickets to Sporting Events: Roger Federer signed racquet; autographed photos from all eight 2010 Grand Slam Winners from the Michael Baz Collection; a signed B.B. King guitar; an autographed Alex Ovechkin jersey and four tickets to a Washington Capitals game; a CC Sabathia signed jersey and four tickets to a Yankees game; two week-long passes to the 2011 US Open Golf Championships at Congressional Country Club; and more.

The Legends Ball, held annually since 1980, brings the tennis world together to celebrate the history of the game and to honor some of the sport’s great contributors; all while raising money for the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. This special night of celebration will honor a host of tennis luminaries including the Class of 2010, which features the extraordinary doubles teams of Gigi Fernandez & Natasha Zvereva and Todd Woodbridge & Mark Woodforde, mixed doubles champion Owen Davidson, Derek Hardwick, an influential tennis administrator, and Brad Parks, the first ever wheelchair tennis inductee, who is also one of the pioneering founders of the wheelchair game. A legendary line-up of tennis greats will also be in attendance, including more than a dozen Hall of Famers and tennis dignitaries. During the event, the Eugene L. Scott Award will be presented to Martina Navratilova and the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Award will be presented to Mercedes-Benz.

For tickets, sponsorship opportunities, or to learn more about the event, call 212-843-1740 or e-mail legendsball@hgnyc.com.

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About the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum

Established in 1954, the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum is a non-profit institution dedicated to preserving the history of tennis, inspiring and encouraging junior tennis development, enshrining tennis heroes and heroines, and providing a landmark for tennis enthusiasts worldwide. The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum was recognized as the sport’s official Hall of Fame in 1986 by the International Tennis Federation, the governing body of tennis. The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum is supported by Official Partners, such as BNP Paribas. For information on the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum and its programs, call 401-849-3990 or visit us online at www.tennisfame.com.

Media Contacts

Doug Drotman (doug@drotmanpr.com or 631-462-1198)

Anne Marie McLaughlin (amclaughlin@tennisfame.com or 401-324-6033)