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Amy Scherzer's diary

Jocks play models with equal ease

By AMY SCHERZER
Published March 24, 2006

Thirty jocks answered the call when Charisse Strawberry recruited them to model in "Jocks & Jewels," her fifth Celebrity Fashion Show staged for the National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. The wife of former New York Yankee Darryl Strawberry asked two-sport athlete Deion Sanders and five-time World Series winner Reggie "Mr. October'' Jackson to help her emcee the $175-ticket dinner March 15 at the Hyatt Regency Tampa.

Athletes and spouses looked fit in Neiman Marcus trendies, including Tampa Bay Bucs Mike and Nicole Alstott; Michael and Tina Clayton; and Michael and Melissa Pittman. Their coach Jon Gruden popped up from his seat to prop up his Buccos and another model, his wife, Cindy. Shaq's mom, Lucille O'Neal, got the most applause and also led the invocation.

Undisputed light heavyweight champion of the world Antonio Tarver had plenty of ringside fans, as did another coach's wife, Anita Piniella. DeLeon Sheffield glowed when she showed her "bump'' on the runway.

Sweetie Pies Bakery supplied the gorgeous fifth-anniversary cake, which nearly melted as Strawberry thanked all of her sponsors.

MORE JOCKS helped the annual Baseball for Kids dinner score hits for All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg and the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association. Tampa's own Wade Boggs hosted Saturday with honorary chairkid Hunter Ratcliffe. The 11-year-old is a winner, too, as the hospital's first pediatric heart transplant patient.

Baseball greats Steve Carlton, Brooks Robinson and 87-year-old Bob Feller starred among 60 celebrities at A La Carte Pavilion. Guests bought $20 baseballs and $15 photos to have autographed. That plus the sports memorabilia auction should help organizers net $80,000.

The entertainment lineup thrilled the 500 guests: Full Circle; Gunnar Nelson, one of Ricky Nelson's twin sons; and country singer Daniel Lee Martin, who invited pitchers Jon Warden and Darold Knowles, to join him. Mark McGraw's girlfriend, Whitney Duncan sang Son of a Preacher Man, and he accepted a Lifetime Achievement award for his dad, the late Tug McGraw.

TOUCH O' GREEN: A sparkling view of Tampa Bay provided the backdrop for "Lucky Me," the Tampa Woman's Club 58th annual Fashionollia on March 16 at the Tampa Garden Center. Nearly 200 women joined co-chairwomen Osie Rodriguez and Candi LoPresti to hear SteinMart fashionista Eve Barnett describe the casual, wearable styles modeled by members and professionals. Gauchos and capri pants were crowd pleasers.

After the luncheon, guardian ad litem's court-appointed children's advocates said, "Lucky us,'' because they will receive the luncheon proceeds.

Nice notion: patrons' gifts that cost pennies. Each received a tiny green box containing a thank you note, a votive candle and a raffle ticket for a door prize.

HEAD FOR THE HILLS: From now on, when the Red Cross Angels need a quiet office and computer, they will head to the Sally and Lewis H. Hill III Red Cross Angels Room at Main Street headquarters. The Red Cross honored the couple for their $100,000 donation with a ribbon-cutting reception March 16.

In typical Sally fashion, she insisted that the Angels have their name on the door, too. A charter member, past president and past Angel Ball chairwoman, Sally helped the volunteers raise more than $1.5-million since 1981, mainly for Angel Wings transportation programs. A lifetime Red Cross board member, Sally dressed in red from lipstick to loafers. Lewis, who retired March 1 from the Foley & Lardner law firm, stood at her side, as he has for the past 45 years.

HARING, SENDAK, WHIPPLE: In the same sentence? Yep, all at the Tampa Museum of Art, where 500 people attended dual openings March 17. City officials flipped the switch to illuminate the seventh Lights On Tampa installation, Jeff Whipple's Illuminations of Ruminations. Who knew there were 300 feet of lit panels in the museum courtyard? Whipple discovered, cleaned and painted his mural on them. His video, Long Time No See, projected on the museum's facade, provoked much discussion, exactly as intended. Catch it Friday and Saturday nights through April 8, and you'll recognize Barbara Eaker, Ward Smith, Eugenie Bondurant, Leigh Schein, and Natasha Del Toro, among others.

Inside, the arts crowd checked out Keith Haring: Art & Commerce, A Tribute to the Pop Shop; viewed Wild Things: The Art of Maurice Sendak; and drank Starbucks coffee and cocoa. Brian Deeds of the band D'Visitors surprised his mom, longtime museum volunteer Juli Milas. He didn't tell her that the band was booked to rock Art After Dark, now moved to the third Friday of the month, until midnight.

"Now the museum is a destination for Friday night dates,'' said Sarah Richter, membership chair.

AND THEY'RE OFF: They're a bettin' bunch, the board of trustees of Florida House, the state embassy in Washington, D.C. Gracious hostess Louise Lykes Ferguson bet 100 guests would win, place and show up for the A Day at the Races brunch Sunday at Tampa Bay Downs. They did. Gus Stavros suggested putting out a donation basket for the guests' winnings. That, plus extra $1,000 checks from Linda and Randy Simmons and Stella Thayer, should net the group $25,000. Visit them at www.floridaembassy.com.

To pass along tips to Amy Scherzer, blog her at www.sptimes.com/party, where you will find more pictures, events and links, or call 226-3332.

[Last modified March 28, 2006, 07:50:07]