Dick Enberg Will Be Presented With Eugene L. Scott Award – Tennis Hall of Fame

Written by: Staff on 20th July 2011

Dick Enberg Will Be Presented With Eugene L. Scott Award - Tennis Hall of Fame |

On Friday, September 9, the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum will gather hundreds of tennis enthusiasts and industry leaders at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City for The Legends Ball, an annual social event that celebrates tennis and honors some of the sport’s greatest champions and contributors. In addition to paying tribute to the International Tennis Hall of Fame Class of 2011 inductees – Andre Agassi and Peachy Kellmeyer, who received the highest honor in the game on July 9 – the event will salute two great contributors and long time supporters of tennis, Dick Enberg and the Campbell Soup Company.

Enberg will be presented with Eugene L. Scott Award which honors an individual who embodies Scott’s commitment to communicating honestly and critically about the game, and who has had a significant impact on the tennis world. Scott founded Tennis Week magazine and wrote the most widely read and well-respected column about the sport, “Vantage Point” until his death in 2005. Previous recipients of the award have been: John McEnroe (2006); Andre Agassi (2007); Billie Jean King (2008); Arthur Ashe and his wife Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe (2009); and Martina Navratilova (2010).

Campbell Soup Company will be presented the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Award, which is given in honor of the man who served as president and chairman of the Hall of Fame from 1982-88, and was responsible for elevating the organization to worldwide recognition. The award recognizes an exceptional company that shares Cullman’s enthusiasm for tennis and has also made a significant contribution to society at large- both philanthropically and through outstanding generosity of spirit. Previous recipients of the award have been: BNP Paribas (2006); Rolex Watch U.S.A., Inc. (2007); Sony Ericsson (2008); Tennis Channel (2009); and Mercedes-Benz (2010).

“The International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Legends Ball is an opportunity to pay tribute to the outstanding contributors to the sport of tennis who have played an instrumental role in its growth, and both Dick Enberg and Campbell Soup Company are at the very top of that list. We are pleased to be able to say thank you at this very special event, and invite the tennis community to join us in doing so,” said Christopher E. Clouser, chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum.

Thirteen-time Emmy award winning sportscaster Dick Enberg is widely regarded as one of the most versatile, engaging sportscasters on the national level. In his 50-year career, Enberg has called sports ranging from all four Grand Slam tennis tournaments to NCAA basketball, NBA, NFL, MLB and PGA TOUR events. Enberg’s poignant delivery has brought a vivid impression of the energy and emotion of some of the biggest events in sports from courts, fields, and courses around the world to living rooms across the nation. He has been the voice of four Summer Olympics, Super Bowls, The Masters, The PGA Championship, the Breeders Cup and the four tennis Grand Slams- the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. In addition to his Emmy awards, Enberg has been named National Sportscaster of the Year nine times by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, and was inducted to that organization’s Hall of Fame. He was also recognized as Sportscaster of the Year five times by the American Sportscasters Association. He is one of just four sportscasters to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1989, Enberg was named Tennis Play-by-Play Man of the Year by Tennis Magazine. Enberg is retiring from the Grand Slam tournaments this year, after more than two decades of broadcasting the world’s most exciting tennis events. He will be focusing his energy on the San Diego Padres MLB team, where he is the play-by-play announcer. In September, Enberg will deliver his final US Open broadcast on CBS.

Campbell Soup Company operates with the goal of being “the world’s most extraordinary food company by nourishing people’s lives everywhere, every day.” To accomplish this mission, the company strives to have a positive impact and foster good health in three arenas: the workplace, the marketplace, and the community. As part of their dedication to the community, the Campbell Soup Company has been a long-time supporter of tennis. Being a lifetime sport, tennis has a positive impact on people’s physical, mental and social wellbeing- a natural complement the company’s mission. Campbell Soup Company supports the game and encourages its growth at multiple levels, including youth, collegiate and professional tennis. Campbell Soup Company has supported the Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis & Education Foundation for 17 years, partnering with the organization to engage underprivileged children with tennis so that they may enjoy the benefits of health, educational opportunities and character building that tennis offers. This work focuses initially on youth in Camden, N.J., Campbell’s home for 142 years. The company is the presenting sponsor of the ITA/Campbell Rankings for NCAA tennis and also presents the annual Campbell/ITA National College Player of the Year Award. Additionally, Campbell Soup Company has been a dedicated partner in the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum’s mission to preserve the history of tennis and inspire its future. The company is the title sponsor of the annual Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, an ATP World Tour event, and the presenting sponsor of Hall of Fame Weekend, during which the greatest champions of the game are inducted to the Hall of Fame.

Former WTA Tour Pro and Emmy award winning broadcaster Mary Carillo will serve as master of ceremonies for The Legends Ball. A legendary line-up of tennis greats will be in attendance, including current players, Hall of Famers, officials from the ATP World Tour, WTA, ITF and Grand Slam tournaments and tennis fans from around the world. In celebration of their Hall of Fame induction, which occurred in July, speaking programs and video presentations will pay tribute to the one-and-only Andre Agassi, former world No. 1 and eight-time grand slam tournament champion, and Peachy Kellmeyer, an influential tennis executive whose vision, dedication and hard work has been a driving force behind the growth of women’s pro tennis since the 1970s. The evening will also feature a very special tribute presentation honoring the remarkable life and career of Hall of Famer and humanitarian Arthur Ashe, in recognition of the 25th anniversary of his Hall of Fame induction.

Always a highlight of the evening, The Legends Ball auction will feature an array of exclusive experiences and luxury items that will excite tennis fans and non-tennis fans alike. In the past, auction items have included hit sessions with tennis luminaries Pete Sampras, Jim Courier and Monica Seles; ticket and travel packages to Grand Slam events; golf at legendary courses like Winged Foot; autographed tennis memorabilia from Roger Federer and Andre Agassi; exotic vacation packages; and golf, baseball, hockey, basketball and football tickets and memorabilia.

Proceeds of The Legends Ball, which has been held annually since 1980, will benefit the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum and support the mission of preserving the history of the game, honoring the legends and inspiring the future.

For tickets, sponsorship opportunities, or to learn more about The Legends Ball, call 401-849-3990 or email mforts@tennisfame.com.