Jim Nantz and Cheri Summerall with honoree Joe Buck and Cheryl DeLeonardis, creator of the Legends for Charity event.
Seven-time Emmy Award winner Joe Buck was the guest of honor at the Legends for Charity® dinner benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The event was created in 2005 by Cheryl DeLeonardis, President of Ocean 2 Ocean Productions.
Held January 29 in Phoenix, the event raised more than $465,000 for St. Jude. Buck is the FOX Sports lead play-by-play announcer and the 10th recipient of The Pat Summerall Award for his contributions in the sports field. The award was created in honor of the late, beloved, legendary broadcaster for his contributions to the NFL for more than 50 years. Past honorees include James Brown, Greg Gumbel, Jim Nantz, Chris Berman, Cris Collinsworth, The NFL on FOX, Al Michaels, Archie Manning and Michael Strahan.
Buck said he was “beyond humbled” to receive The Pat Summerall Award.
“There is no greater honor that I, or anyone in my profession, could receive than one named for Pat Summerall,” Buck said. “He was a dear friend, and aside from my father, the biggest influence on my career. Nobody said more with less and nobody cared more about the game than Pat.”
More than 500 guests attended the Legends for Charity dinner, held at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix, NFL Headquarters Hotel during Super Bowl XLIX weekend. NFL Network personality Rich Eisen served as the Master of Ceremonies and Jim Nantz of CBS Sports presented Buck with the honor.
“It is the voices, passion and compassion of people like Pat Summerall and Joe Buck combined with the generous support of millions of people across the country that allows St. Jude to lead the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other deadly diseases,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., president and CEO of ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The evening included video tributes to Buck, as well as a speech by his wife Michelle Beisner Buck. St. Jude patient father Ken also shared his story with attendees.
A live auction featured three items: a trip for four to Villa Estrella in Costa Rica; a Ralph Lauren alligator Ricky Bag and diamond and green agate earrings from Galicia Jewelers; and two tickets to Super Bowl XLIX from NFL On Location. In its 11 years, Legends for Charity has raised more than $2 million for St. Jude.
For the third consecutive year, The Yokota Foundation was the event’s presenting sponsor. Several supporting sponsors included Lynn and Foster Friess, The Barclay Group, Gina and Joseph Forster III, Eminess Technologies, Palmetto Partners Ltd., FOX Sports, CBS Sports, CAREY, National Football League, Insight Management, New York Football Giants, One Source Consulting, PlanetDonate, Somerset Technology Sales, The Thunderbirds, V2 Graphic Designs & Associates, and Visit Phoenix.
About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% since the hospital opened in 1962. St. Jude won't stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Because of generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child live. Visit St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories of hope, strength, love and kindness. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, and subscribing to its YouTube channel.