DAPPER DAN SPORTS BANQUET

73rd Annual Dapper Dan Dinner & Sports Auction
Thursday, April 2, 2009
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

Presenting Sponsor

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Mike Tomlin 2008 Sportsman of the Year	Shavonte Zellous 2008 Sportswoman of the Year

Danny Awards voting for Best Play, Best Moment and Breakthrough Athlete: Click here

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Dick LeBeau, Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive Coordinator
Presentation by Rod Woodson and James Farrior

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.

2009 EVENT FEATURES:

• A celebration of sports excellence that honors the best athletes in high school, college and professional sports, while providing underprivileged youth with athletic opportunities, mentoring, leadership development and scholarships
• A night of celebrities and the biggest names in Pittsburgh sports
• Lifetime Achievement Award presentation to Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau in recognition of his 50th year in the NFL
• Celebration of the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl victory with player appearances
• Presentations for the 2008 Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year
• "Danny" awards presented for the best play, best moment and breakthrough athlete of 2008
• 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 73 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.