Legendary Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes taught those he coached to pay forward. Student-athletes at OSU have since continued that tradition off the field and in their communities. Jim Jackson, former point-guard on the Ohio State basketball team (1989-1992), is doing just that by accepting honorary chairmanship of the 33rd Annual Woody Hayes Celebrity Classic.
The annual golf event, slated for Monday, June 15, will be held at the New Albany Country Club. The event is organized by the Development Board of Nationwide Childrens Hospital and raises money to further pediatric research in central Ohio. This years proceeds will benefit The Research Institute at Nationwide Childrens Hospital.
The Research Institute is one of the top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded free-standing pediatric research facilities in the United States, supporting basic, clinical, translational and health services research activities at Nationwide Children's Hospital.
Jackson left the Ohio State team in 1992 when drafted by the Dallas Mavericks as the fourth overall pick of the 1992 NBA Draft. Jackson has played on 12 different NBA teams, most recently with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2005-2006 season. Jackson is currently a Big Ten basketball analyst on the Big Ten Network in Chicago. In 2001, Jackson's number, 22, was retired at Ohio State.
There are various opportunities to participate in the 2009 Woody Hayes Celebrity Classic. The two most popular options are as follows: Scarlet Teams $3,000 team registration will consist of four players and Gray Teams $1,500 team registration will include two players. Teams will be paired with a local media or sports celebrity. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available beginning at the $4,000 level.
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. on June 15 at New Albany Country Club. The driving ranges will open at that time to participants for practice. The shot-gun start will begin promptly at 10 a.m.
All golfers receive lunch, dinner, drinks and a registration gift package. Two tickets will be given to each golfer for the Kick-Off Party held Sunday, June 14 at Martini Park at Easton Town Center. The Kick-Off Party includes beer, wine, hors doeuvres and a silent and live auction.
To reserve a spot in the 2009 Woody Hayes Celebrity Classic, contact Kris Mazzola, Nationwide Childrens Hospital Foundation, (614) 355-0888 or Kris.Mazzola@NationwideChildrens.org.
Sponsors of the 2009 Woody Hayes Celebrity Classic include United Healthcare, The Memorial Tournament, Coca-Cola and media partner The CW.
The Development Board of Nationwide Columbus Childrens Hospital is a group of corporate volunteers dedicated to raising money to support Nationwide Childrens mission. The Development Board raised more than $645,000 in 2008 through fund-raisers including the Woody Hayes Celebrity Classic, Rock N Bowl and Slice of Columbus. The Development Board has raised more than $4 million for Nationwide Childrens since being founded in 1971.
OSU Alum and Former NBA star Jim Jackson Named Honorary Chair of Woody Hayes Celebrity Classic
May 1, 2009
About Nationwide Children's Hospital
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-24 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit free-standing pediatric health care systems providing unique expertise in pediatric population health, behavioral health, genomics and health equity as the next frontiers in pediatric medicine, leading to best outcomes for the health of the whole child. Integrated clinical and research programs, as well as prioritizing quality and safety, are part of what allows Nationwide Children’s to advance its unique model of care. Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 14,000 that provides state-of-the-art wellness, preventive and rehabilitative care and diagnostic treatment during more than 1.7 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded free-standing pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.