Stars flock to tourney

Tee it up with Michigan celebs... What: The Millie Schembechler Memorial Golf Classic, a celebrity golf tournament to raise money for the Millie Schembechler Adrenal Cancer Research Fund at the University of Michigan Hospital What else: A silent auction of sports memorabilia will be held throughout the day. When: Today, 10 a.m. Where: Michigan Golf Course Tickets: $10 for adults, $5 for children 14 and under The Golfers: Bobby Knight Al Kaline Tom Goss Rick Leach Alan Trammell Mickey Stanley Dave Bergman Red Berenson Sparky Anderson Mike Knuble Aaron Ward Dan Dierdorf Brian Ellerbe Bob Griese Brian Griese Geoff Zahn Nick Saban John Engler Lynn Swann Lloyd Carr Paul Warfield John Schroeder Anthony Carter Elvis Grbac

A golden golf club engraved with the signature of former president and Michigan football great Gerald Ford was only one of many items the volunteers were boxing up and getting ready to auction off at today's Millie Schembechler Memorial Golf Classic.

The golf outing is a fundraiser for the Millie Schembechler Adrenal Cancer Research Fund at the University of Michigan Hospital. Millie, wife of legendary Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler, died from adrenal cancer in August of 1992. The event, in its sixth year now, has been raising money for that cause ever since.

MARGARET MYERS/Daily Former Detroit Tigers manager Sparky Anderson, a Schembechler regular, admires one of his shots at the 1996 Schembechler Classic. Anderson is one of the many celebrities playing in the Classic today.

The money helps the University do research on the rare disease, and the golf tournament was the way Bo wanted to raise this money.

"When asked about raising money for the disease, Bo said he wanted to do it the right way," said Peter Pellerito, a volunteer and one of the founders of the Golf Classic. "The celebrity golf tournament was what he came up with."

The tournament has brought in $1.3 million so far for the charity and is expected to bring in about $300,000 more this year.

The auction, which includes items like the golf club, tickets for trips to Europe and a jersey signed by the entire Red Wings team, is expected to bring in about $25,000. A Red Wings alone brought in $10,000 last year and the jersey is expected to go for the same amount this year.

But the bulk of the money for the charity will probably come from sponsors and people paying to play in the tournament with some of their favorite Michigan athletes.

"There is a variety of celebrities that come in for the tournament, but they all have connections to Bo and the Michigan community," Pellerito said. "Bobby Knight obviously has a different connection to the community than former Michigan star Dan Dierdorf, but they all are people who know Bo or knew Millie and want to help out."

Knight and Dierdorf are only two of the many celebrities who are planning to play in the tournament. Rose Bowl MVP Brian Griese is also playing along with his father, Miami Dolphin great Bob Griese. Former Michigan hockey players and current Red Wings Mike Knuble and Aaron Ward are some of the players representing Detroit professional teams.

"Mr. Schembechler gets all of the celebrity players," volunteer Howard Wikel said. "About 75 percent of them are repeats from last year."

Each of the celebrities plays with four other golfers who have payed to play in the tournament in a five-person scramble. The winning fivesome gets their names engraved on a trophy that contains the name of each winner in the Classic's six-year history.

The tournament is expecting 500-1,000 spectators today. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children under 14. Gates open at 10:00 am with a shotgun start at that time.

07-06-98