Charity
A Memorable Day and Night Out with NFL icon Dexter Manley, PGA TOUR’s Charley Hoffman and Houston Texans’ Owen Daniels!
01 year ago
Power Lunching with a Legend: Dexter Manley
Vince Marshall, Hilda Merano, and Dexter Manley
At Morton’s we call the series “Lunch with a Legend,” but Monday’s event in downtown DC was a pep rally of the finest sort. The rivalry between the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys started on October 9, 1960 and has since become the greatest rivalry in the sport – maybe even in professional sports altogether.
The excitement for this week’s game was palpable as more than 150 Redskins fans, former players, families and media flooded Morton’s dining room for a live broadcast of ESPN980’s “The Sports Fix,” with hosts Kevin Sheehan and Thom Loverro. The sold out crowd donned jerseys from over the years, a majority sporting #72, the number worn by the day’s honoree, former Defensive End Dexter Manley .
Raucous applause erupted at mention of Manley’s legendary 66 sacks from 1982-1986 and his two Super Bowl rings. Former teammate Offensive Lineman George Starke arrived a few minutes late, but not without notice. Both men circled the room at commercial breaks taking photos with guests, signing autographs, and strategizing with fans how the Redskins defense could attack the injured Tony Romo.
In the end, the Cowboys prevailed in the final minutes of the game bringing the team’s record to 61-38-2 against the Redskins. The history won’t matter though. Like the classic American steakhouse, this legendary American tradition is here to stay.
Read all about it! Dexter Manley Lunch with a Legend media coverage included Washington Examiner.
Reported by Anthony Hesselius, Linda Roth Associates, Inc.
Morton’s The Steakhouse Scores a Hole-in-One With PGA TOUR Pro Charley Hoffman
It's Charley Hoffman!
The young guns of the golf world took over Morton’s The Steakhouse Las Vegas as UNLV Alumnus Charley Hoffman and 10 of his friends dropped their 7-irons to serve more than 160 guests. The guest servers who kept every wine glass filled and delivered hot entrees to the guests were Chris Riley, Bill Lunde, John Mallinger, Dean Wilson, Billy Horschel, Andres Gonzales, Ricky Barnes, D.J. Trahan, Chez Reavie and Troy Matteson.
The evening benefited the Charley Hoffman Foundation, which donated $18,000 each to five Las Vegas children’s charities – Goodie Two Shoes, Blessings in a Backpack, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Zelzah Shriners Transportation Fund. All-in-all, more than $90,000 was raised over the course of the day!
The Celebrity Server Event was the conclusion of a golf-filled day as Charley Hoffman hosted his annual Pro-Am at TPC Summerlin. Pro-Am participants, golf enthusiasts and Morton’s regulars filled the dining room with a high-energy atmosphere. Comedian George Lopez and baseball great Greg Maddux came to Morton’s as well and each won a live auction item! Maddux even donated an autographed baseball glove and baseball to the evening’s silent auction.
Morton’s first-ever Celebrity Server Event in Las Vegas was a tremendous success. A great deal of money was raised for charity, everyone in attendance enjoyed themselves and, most importantly, no plates were dropped by the guest servers!
Local media coverage included Las Vegas Sun, KVVU-TV and Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Reported by Stephen Miller, Preferred Public Relations
OH, WHAT A NIGHT! 2nd Annual Owen Daniels Celebrity Server Event Scores Big
Owen Daniels with his Celebrity Servers and Team Morton's!
Cameras, lights, football stars and fans packed Morton’s the Steakhouse Houston Galleria the evening of September 26 for the 2nd Annual Owen Daniels Celebrity Server Dinner. The event sold out ten days prior and the 185 guests were ready to party and party they did. Beginning at 7 pm, Bar 12.21 was packed with guests shopping the silent action items, sampling the bar bites and ready for the action to start.
Houston Texans Tight End Owen Daniels called in the big hitters from the team to help with the fun and activities as Andre Johnson, Arian Foster, James Casey, Chris Myers, J.J. Watt, Shaun Cody, DeMeco Ryans, David Anderson, Steve Slaton, Garrett Graham and Brian Cushing demonstrated their waiter skills throughout the evening. Autographs were the number one request but players were busy refilling water glasses, serving wine, offering dressing for salads and being great sports.
The guests enjoyed a four course Morton’s dinner, silent auction, live auction including two trips to Cabo and opened their hearts and their wallets to help The Owen Daniels Catch a Dream Foundation. Highlights of the evening included the Texans players getting their waiter instructions from the Morton’s team and the live auction with Arian Foster, David Anderson and Shaun Cody demonstrating their auctioneer skills to the joy of the crowd. The big auction items were a Texans autographed 3 liter Monte Bello Red Blend bottle of wine being sold for $5,600 and the two trips to Cabo being sold for $15,000 each, all of which will benefit the Owen Daniels Catch a Dream Foundation.
Special news on the Morton’s Celebrity Server Dinners from Roger Drake, Morton’s Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications; “With two celebrity server events last night – one in Houston with Owen Daniels, and one in Las Vegas with Charley Hoffman and his PGA TOUR friends, Morton’s expects to exceed the $2 million dollar mark in proceeds raised over the past two years. Morton’s is proud to partner with stellar athletes and committed humanitarians such as Owen Daniels, who is truly focused on helping kids in Houston with his Catch a Dream Foundation work.”
Oh, what a night in Houston. Everyone went home with stories to tell, memories to cherish and knowing that they helped a great cause with Owen Daniels and the Catch a Dream Foundation.
Media coverage of the Owen Daniels Celebrity Server event included KHOU-TV, The Rod Ryan Show, Chron.com and CultureMap.com.
Reported by Joe Pogge, Strike Marketing
Still hungry? Click these links to learn more about Morton’s exciting Celebrity Server and Lunch with a Legend series throughout the U.S.
FOODARAZZI: 60 SECONDS WITH LARRY FITZGERALD
01 year ago
Larry Fitzgerald
Now that the NFL is officially back in session, Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals is doing what he loves best: playing football on the field and giving back to kids off the field. So what does the Fitz do to relax? We caught up with the superstar wide receiver during a rare time-out and here he ruminates on Will Smith, fatherhood, and a little quest to win the Super Bowl.
OCCUPATION: Professional Football Player and University of Phoenix student.
THREE WORDS THAT BEST DESCRIBE ME: Faith, focus, finish.
FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION: Seychelles Islands. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever traveled to and I had the opportunity to visit these islands during the off season earlier this year.
WHEN I’M NOT WORKING, I’M…: Spending time with my three-and-a-half year old son, Devin.
ONE THING I’VE BEEN DYING TO TRY: I would love to WIN a Super Bowl!
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT IN FOOTBALL: Playing in the Super Bowl.
FAVORITE DRINK/COCKTAIL: I don’t drink.
I STAY HOME TO WATCH: I love HGTV. There are so many great programs on that channel!
FAVORITE PLACE TO CHILL OUT: Chilling out at my house on the lake in Minnesota. During the off season, I enjoy jet skiing and going out on my boat.
WHO WOULD PLAY ME IN A HOLLYWOOD BLOCKBUSTER: Without question, Will Smith. He is very funny and seems to be pretty down-to-earth. Not to mention he is an extremely talented actor.
PRIZED POSSESSION: I really love watches. I would say my most prized possession is my extensive watch collection.
PRE-GAME RITUALS: I say a prayer before I step out onto the field before every game.
IF I WASN’T A FOOTBALL PLAYER, I’D BE: I would definitely be a school teacher.
FINISH THIS SENTENCE: The best part of my job is…: WINNING!
Join NFL Superstar Larry Fitzgerald and his Arizona Cardinals teammates for big steaks and a great cause on Monday, October 3 when they trade in their uniforms and helmets for plates and aprons at Morton’s The Steakhouse in Scottsdale, AZ. Morton’s The Steakhouse would also like to thank our lead corporate sponsors, DISC and The Starkey Foundation, for their generous support!
A Memorable Night Out with Braves’ Dan Uggla and Rams’ Danny Amendola!
01 year ago
Dan Uggla and the Celebrity Server Dream Team. Go Braves!
Diamonds are Forever
On Monday, August 29, 2011, Braves second baseman Dan Uggla hosted his inaugural Celebrity Server event at Morton’s The Steakhouse in Buckhead. The sold-out event featured Uggla and several of his teammates, Freddie Freeman, Brian McCann, Martin Prado, Craig Kimbrel, Brandon Beachy and many more, as they spent the night serving guests for Uggla’s Diamonds in the Rough charity, which raises awareness for children and families in need in Georgia. In addition to donating their time to the charity event, they also provided signed Braves memorabilia and aided Star 94’s Ray Mariner in raising additional funds for the charity in live and silent auction items, including signed jerseys from Martin Prado, signed jersey and field passes donated by Brian McCann, signed acoustic guitar by the Zac Brown Band, commemorative framed poster signed by Jimmy Hendrix, and luxurious vacations to Mexico which combined sold for $10,500!
Uggla and celebrity guests
Over 160 guests were in attendance to support the noteworthy cause, and helped raise over $70,000 for Uggla’s charity. Dan did a great job of introducing (and ribbing!) his fellow teammates and the players collectively spent lots of time talking to and taking photos photos with guests. Atlanta TV stations and local media were there to capture the excitement of this Dan Uggla and Atlanta Braves teammates’ celebrity server event.
Read – and watch – all about it! Dan Uggla Celebrity Server media coverage includes: WXIA-TV’s Atlanta & Co; Radio 790 The Zone with Dan Uggla; Ask Miss A; Atlanta Business Chronicle; Buckhead Patch; Sandy Springs Neighbor; Neighbor Newspapers; and
Metromix Atlanta.
Reported by Natalie Najjar, Karen Canavan Public Relations
A Delicious Take on Monday Night Football: Morton’s Celebrity Server Night featuring Danny Amendola
Danny Amendola and the Celebrity Server Dream Team. Go Rams!
Despite suffering a dislocated elbow at Sunday’s game, Rams wide receiver Danny Amendola was out in full force the very next day on Sept. 12 raising funds for the Catches for Kids Foundation at Morton’s Celebrity Server Night in St. Louis, Mo. Football fans and foodies alike came out to support the Catches for Kids Foundation, which works to improve the lives of low-income children in St. Louis. Joining Danny was his enthusiastic teammates including, Danario Alexander, Dominique Curry, Austin Pettis, Greg Salas, Craig Dahl, Mike Sims-Walker, among others.
Celebrity guests
Guests mingled with Rams superstars and enjoyed four courses of Morton’s signature cuisine and fine wine. A 6.OL bottle of Silver Oak Cabernet, Napa, 2003 fetched $2,000 in an exciting live auction. Silent auction items featured one-of-a-kind Rams memorabilia all to benefit a great cause. Local media including ESPN 101.1FM, KMOX-AM, St. Louis Magazine and Ladue News interviewed players about this worthy event, and captured photos of attending Morton’s guests. It was a great night for a great cause, and we were thrilled to have Danny and his teammates demonstrate true sportsmanship by supporting St. Louis children in need.
Danny Amendola with Rams Craig Dahl and A.J. Feeley Photo courtesy of Molly James, Ladue News
Reported by Meghan Heeter, Common Ground Public Relations
Still hungry? Click here to learn more about Morton’s exciting Celebrity Server series throughout the U.S.
The Baltimore Grand Prix, Part Deaux
01 year ago
Held over the Labor Day weekend and featuring a spectacular combination of world-class racing, the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix was a tremendous success for the city, the racers and Morton’s The Steakhouse in Baltimore.
More than 150,000 spectators and racing enthusiasts jammed Baltimore throughout the weekend, and Morton’s was right in the middle of the action, opening our bar early at 2 p.m. every day and serving thousands of our Prime Fuel sandwiches. Indycar drivers Will Power Helio Castroneves and Ryan Brisco also stopped in at Morton’s for a meal Saturday night, which no doubt helped Power win the race the next day.
Adobe Road Wine Dinner at Morton's The Steakhouse
We were also proud to host the weekend’s unofficial kick-off with the Morton’s Adobe Road Wine Dinner with Team Baltimore Racing (TBR) on Wednesday, August 31. Kevin Buckler, owner of Adobe Road Winery, founder of The Racer’s Group, and former championship race car driver, presented his award-winning wines. Ultimately, more than $7,500 was raised from this four-course dinner benefitted local charities supported by TBR, including The University of Maryland Children’s Center and Catholic Charities.
Power, the year’s Grand Prix leader, was effusive in his praise for the city. “They’ve put on the best race we’ve had all year,” he said. “This is what Indycar needs.”
Such praise was nearly universal in the race’s aftermath, raising speculation that the Baltimore Grand Prix will become an annual happening. Based on what we saw over the weekend, we agree with the praise and welcome the Indycar series to Baltimore anytime!
To learn more about Morton’s involvement with the Baltimore Grand Prix, check out these media clips:
Morton’s Baltimore Grand Prix on WBAL-TV and in The Baltimore Sun.
Reported by Jeffrey Bukowski, Nevins & Associates
Morton’s ♥’s Celebrities!
21 year ago
Local Celebrities Shine at Morton’s Troy for “Cocktails for a Cause” to Benefit Area Charity
WXYZ-TV's Erin Nicole and Detroit Pistons Reporter, Heather Zara serve up creative cocktails
More than 150 philanthropic-minded guests headed to Morton’s in Troy to support “Cocktails for a Cause” on August 11 to support Volunteer of America’s Operation Backpack, program donates new backpacks filled with school supplies to help area low-income children and their families. Area celebrities, including NBC’s Biggest Loser Champion Helen Phillips, WXYZ-TV’s Erin Nicole, Pistons Reporter Heather Zara, Former Detroit Lions Lomas Brown and Herman Moore tended bar and mingled with event goers while supporting a local charity all at the same time. All told, over $6,000 was raised for Volunteer of America’s Operation Backpack.
Most Valuable Servers: Jacob Green, Michael Hanke and Jack Thompson
Rock Royalty and Sports Heroes Glitzed It Up For The 2nd Annual Celebrity Steakout at Morton’s Seattle
“The Celebrity Steakout” event on August 23 drew over 200 well-heeled guests who flocked to Morton’s Seattle in support of The Moyer Foundation. Hosted by KIRO 7 TV’s Steve Raible, MLB All-Star Pitcher Jamie Moyer and his wife, Karen, the legendary event featured an A-list of music and sports heroes including Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses, Steve Zakuani of the Seattle Sounders, and former Seattle Seahawk Jacob Green, who poured wine and served up delicious eats to help raise $186,485 to benefit early cancer detection research.
Musicians and Shakers: Duff McKagen, Monica Pavelka Agbalog, Zakk Wylde and Jeff Rouse
Throughout August, Morton’s welcomed the following celebrities…
Cincinnati
Tennis player Rafael Nadal
Beverly Hills
Actress Katy Perry
Model Elle MacPherson
Ice-T and Coco
Conn Ave
Ambassador Arturo Fermandois of Chile and four of the rescued Chilean miners
Chairman of American Express Ken Schenault
Dallas
Singer Shakira
Miami
John Travolta and Kelly Preston
Phoenix
Actor Brad Garret
Burbank
Actress Jennifer Love-Hewitt
Actress Melissa McCarthy
Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst
New Orleans
Actor Jason Statham
New Orleans Saints’ Will Smith
Atlanta
Sports broadcaster Bob Costas
Coaching legend Jerry Sloan
Chicago Cubs’ Alfonso Soriano
Atlanta Falcons’ Michael Turner
Miami Dolphins’ Chad Henne and Jake Long
Las Vegas
Subway spokesman Jared Fogle
Hackensack
New York Jets’ March Sanchez, Nick Mangold, and Brandon Moore
Charlotte
Carolina Panthers’ Jon Beason, Greg Olsen and Jeremy Shockey
NASCAR legend Junior Johnson
CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group Ed Brown
San Jose
WWE’s Vince McMahon
Cleveland
Thor’s Chris Hemsworth
Actor George Hamilton
Members of the Green Bay Packers
Actress Rachel Nichols
Actor/Director Edward Burns
Actors/Comedians Wayans Brothers
Former MLB player Mo Vaughn
Former NBA player Charles Oakley
Reston
Washington Redskins’ Trent Williams
EVP of NRA Wayne LaPierre
Cincinnati
Singer Lyle Lovett
Cincinnati Reds’ Bronson Arroyo
Bethesda
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer
Houston Galleria
Houston Texans’ Derrick Ward, Arian Foster, Andre Johnson and Kareem Jackson
Foodarazzi: 60 SECONDS WITH CHARLEY HOFFMAN
01 year ago
PGA TOUR player, Charley Hoffman
OCCUPATION:
PGA TOUR Golfer
THREE WORDS THAT BEST DESCRIBE ME:
Competitive, Easy-going, Focused.
FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION:
Cabo San Lucas.
WHEN I’M NOT WORKING, I’M…:
With my wife and daughter, either at our pool in Las Vegas or the beach in San Diego.
ONE THING I’VE BEEN DYING TO TRY:
Running a marathon.
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT IN GOLF:
Winning the 2010 Deutsche Bank Championship.
FAVORITE DRINK/COCKTAIL:
Grape Vodka and soda.
I STAY HOME TO WATCH:
Catching up on Dexter and Entourage via Netflix.
FAVORITE PLACE TO CHILL OUT:
Any lake where I can jet ski or wakeboard.
WHO WOULD PLAY YOU IN A SUMMER MOVIE BLOCKBUSTER:
Jeff Daniels from Dumb and Dumber, of course.
PRIZED POSSESSION:
My daughter.
PRE-GAME RITUALS:
I arrive at the course about 2 hours early, have a light workout with some stretching, grab some food and then head out to the driving range and practice green.
IF I WASN’T A GOLFER, I’D BE:
A beach bum in San Diego.
FINISH THIS SENTENCE: The best part of my job is…
Doing what I love and being able to make money while doing it. It truly is the best job in the world!
As the “Official Steakhouse of the PGA TOUR,” we’re proud to partner with Charley Hoffman for the upcoming “Celebrity Servers at Morton’s” event in our Las Vegas location. Check out the recent coverage this event has seen in Las Vegas Review-Journal, ESPN Radio 1100, Channel 3 KSNV (NBC) and Channel 8 KLAS (CBS).
Reported by Mindy Eras, Preferred Public Relations
And, Action! Morton’s Hosts “Kids Day!”
01 year ago
"Kids Day" Attendee, Declan Pleuss
Morton’s recently hosted its seventh annual, and largest-ever, “Morton’s Kids Day’ at the Restaurant Support Center (RSC) in Chicago, IL. Twenty-nine sons, daughters, nieces, nephews and buddies (ages 4 – 17) took on the day’s challenge of creating and filming a Morton’s commercial for one of four locations (Dallas, Honolulu, Shanghai or Mexico City). The “directors” for the four teams included Senior Executives and employees from all of the departments at the RSC, with Donna Rundle, Manager of Restaurant Services, providing goody bags for the kids and props for the commercials, and Kwang Yi, Senior I.T. Manager, handling the filming, animation and downloading of the commercials. Once the four commercials were “in the can,” the kids hosted a screening party for RSC employees, charging for admission and homemade popcorn. The money raised from the screening party was then donated to PGA TOUR Charities.
After a long day of scripting, acting, editing and fundraising, the kids got a well-deserved lunch at Morton’s on
Wacker Place in Chicago, followed by an awards ceremony for their accomplishments. The menu included mini Prime Cheeseburgers, Chicken Goujonettes, fruit, French fries and ice cream.
- “Kids Day” Attendee, Maizie Pleuss
At one point during the day, a bold 10 year-old told Morton’s President and CEO, Chris Artinian, that he should put Macaroni and Cheese back on the menu, because “it would be a good business decision.” (Kids say the darndest things, don’t they?!?) Artinian told him he would “take it into consideration.” We’re not sure which one of our guests put the kid up to this, but it’s a pretty sad day when you’re asking a 10 year-old to do your dirty work.
In all seriousness, it was a great group of children, and we look forward to hosting next year’s “Morton’s Kids Day!”
But for now, it’s a wrap!
Signing off,
The “Directors” of Morton’s The Steakhouse
Delicious Charity
41 year ago
Even though we’re best known for our famous steaks, at Morton’s we don’t spend every moment behind the grill! Equally important to us is our commitment to charity and the sports community at large. Not only are we honored to be the “Official Steakhouse of the PGA TOUR,” but we’re extremely proud of all the heart-warming charitable events that we host throughout the year at our 77 Morton’s steakhouses around the world. From football and baseball greats at our Celebrity Server dinners to beloved Hall of Famers at Lunch with a Legend (LWAL), the art of giving – and serving up great memories – is alive and well at Morton’s!
LWAL: Deacon Jones and Vince Ferragamo at Morton’s The Steakhouse, Downtown Los Angeles
On July 20, football-minded fans enjoyed a great meal with NFL Hall of Fame defensive end Deacon Jones and former Los Angeles Rams quarterback Vince Ferragamo who had the room laughing and smiling from the first course through dessert.
Regarded as one of the best defensive ends of all time, Deacon Jones has played for the LA Rams, San Diego Chargers, and Washington Redskins. Ferragamo, who dominated the field when the LA Rams went to Super Bowl XIV, has played for the Buffalo Bills , Green Bay Packers, and even played in the Canadian Football League. Both took time out of there busy schedules to come into Morton’s The Steakhouse in Los Angeles on Figueroa Street and interact with their #1 fans.
ESPN radio hosts, Mark Willard and Max Kellerman, asked Jones and Ferragamo how they felt about Farmers Field and LA having a football team again and both agreed it would be great for the community – especially the fans!
To listen to the Deacon Jones and Vince Ferragamo podcast visit http://espn.go.com/espnradio/losangeles/play?s=la&id=6787756. To view the ESPN slideshow, click here.
Reported by Wayne Pua and Spenser Dayoub, Morton’s The Steakhouse, Downtown Los Angeles (Figueroa). Photo credit: ESPN Los Angeles.
Celebrity Server with Ryan Howard at Morton’s The Steakhouse, Philadelphia
On Thursday, July 21st, 2011, Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard hosted his 2nd Celebrity Server event at Morton’s in Philadelphia. The event featured Howard and several of his teammates, including Cliff Lee, Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins, Cole Hamels, Chase Utley, and many more, who all graciously traded in their gloves and caps for aprons and notepads, as they spent their night-off of the field serving guests a memorable steak dinner.
Not only did they donate their time, but Howard and his teammates also donated signed jerseys and other Phillies paraphernalia to the silent auction. Additional must-have items included a jersey from Boston Celtics small forward, Paul Pierce, and a signed Muhammad Ali boxing glove. All proceeds from the event’s ticket sales and silent auction went to the Ryan Howard Family Foundation to support underprivileged families in the greater Philadelphia region. A sold-out crowd of over two hundred guests were in attendance to support the cause. Launched in 2009, the foundation focuses on “improving quality of life” for disadvantaged youth and families in the Philadelphia and St. Louis metropolitan areas through the development and implementation of programs that advance education, nutrition, physical fitness, and socio-economic status.
For more coverage of the Ryan Howard Celeb Server event, visit Phillychitchat.com.
Reported by Alexa Darrow, Cashman and Associates. Photo credit: Alexa Darrow.
LWAL: Pat Fitzgerald at Morton’s The Steakhouse, Wacker Place
Over 70 guests gathered in the boardroom of Morton’s The Steakhouse Wacker Place on July 26, as ESPN’s Waddle & Silvy broadcast live with Northwestern University Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald for another installment in Morton’s acclaimed Lunch with a Legend Series. Diners enjoyed a signature Morton’s menu, including the famed Single Cut Filet Mignon with béarnaise and decadent Double Chocolate Mousse, while Fitzgerald discussed everything from Northwestern athletics to Chicago sports.
To listen to the Pat Fitzgerald podcast visit http://espn.go.com/espnradio/chicago/play?s=chicago&id=6803561.
Enjoy this Q&A with Pat Fitzgerald from ESPN Chicago: http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/colleges/post/_/id/3260/fitzgerald-nu-means-that-much-to-me.
Reported by Lindsay Rafayko, Empower Public Relations. Photo credit: Lindsay Rafayko.
LWAL: Morgan Wootten at Morton’s The Steakhouse, Connecticut Avenue
Morton’s The Steakhouse – Connecticut Avenue
ESPN980’s “The Sports Fix” hosts Kevin Sheehan and Thom Loverro set up shop at Morton’s The Steakhouse in downtown DC today in front of a packed house of fans anxious to hear the guest of honor and legendary local high school basketball coach, Morgan Wootten .
Coach Wootten, the most successful basketball coach at any level…ever, joined guests for a lunch of (appropriately so) the best steak anywhere. Those in attendance got the chance to hear the legendary coach reflect on his time at DeMatha Catholic High School in nearby Hyattsville, MD where from 1956-2002 he earned an all-time record of 1274-192, making him the winningest coach in the history of the sport. How’s that for legendary?
The live discussion covered everything from Coach Wootten’s watershed win in 1965 over then undefeated Power Memorial Academy to his take on the best and most memorable moments in local DC sports history. Wootten recalled friend and fellow coach Red Auerbach telling him after a painful one point loss in triple overtime, “You became a spectator Morgan. You lost the feel of the game,” and therefore, he was told, he lost quite easily in fact. Wooten went on to remind the crowd both at Morton’s and over the airwaves that no matter what you endeavor in your life, you have to keep the feel of your game, and you’ll never win.
Over the two hours Wootten received resounding applause from the sold out crowd, but we would be remiss as The Official Steakhouse of the Washington Redskins if we failed to mention another round of applause that erupted midway through a news break. Host Kevin Sheehan broke from his interview with Coach Wootten to announce that today the Redskins re-signed wide receiver Santana Moss, former Baltimore Raven Donte Stallworth, and the Giants’ Barry Cofield.
All told, it was a great day for Washington sports fans at Morton’s!
Reported by Anthony Hesselius, Linda Roth Associates, Inc. Photo credit: Anthony Hesselius.
Still hungry? Click here to learn more about Morton’s Lunch with a Legend and Celebrity Server series throughout the U.S.
Morton’s “Above Par” Wine Series Concludes with Ernie Els
01 year ago
Morton’s is the “Official Steakhouse of the PGA TOUR,” and there are several opportunities for our guests to celebrate this partnership, both on and off the course. In all U.S. Morton’s restaurants, we’re featuring exclusive “Above Par” wine selections, i.e. “golfer wine” selections. Earlier this month, I started featuring our “Above Par” wines, including Greg Norman Estates and Jack Nicklaus Wines. For this week’s “Wine Wednesday,” we conclude the series with Ernie Els, “Signature,” Bordeaux Blend, Stellenbosch.
The winemaker and managing director for the Ernie Els Winery in Stellenbosch, South Africa is Louis Strydom. On the winery’s website, his biography explains that “Louis has walked the long road with Ernie since the brands inception during 1999 and has been father to each and every wine produced.” He is a winemaker that is passionate about terroir and has a complete understanding of how his vines perform. His attention to detail comes through in the bottle!
Mr. Els embarked on this wine venture simply for the love of red wines, and he continues to be heavily involved in the tasting process at the winery. His hands-on approach gives his wines great focus and depth of character.
Like the other golfers behind our “Above Par” wines, Mr. Els is also an incredibly generous philanthropist. In 2009, he and his wife, Liezl, established the Els for Autism Foundation and are currently raising funds to finance the Els Center of Excellence. It’s a cause that’s close to the Els’ hearts, because their son was diagnosed with Autism. In a heartfelt message to those affected by Autism or supporting his foundation, he says, “Years from now, people may remember me as a golfer and a major champion. But I’d like also to be remembered as somebody who took the issue of Autism and did something with it. The rest of my life, I’ll be fighting this thing…I hope you’ll join me.”
And with that, I hope you’ll join me in saluting these talented and generous men behind our “Above Par” wine selections.
Cheers!
Sara Fasolino
Certified Sommelier/Morton’s Beverage Manager
Morton’s The Steakhouse
To learn more about Morton’s and the PGA TOUR, including exclusive restaurant events and opportunities to help support Birdies for the Brave, a PGA TOUR charity, please visit www.mortons.com/pgatour.
First PGA TOUR Celebrity Server Event Hits a Hole in One!
01 year ago
The Celebrity and the CEO: PGA golfer Jim Furyk and Morton's Chris Artinian
Golf lovers and supporters of children’s charities flocked to the first-ever PGA TOUR “Celebrity Server at Morton’s” event which took place at the King of Prussia location on Tuesday, June 28. The hosts for the evening included 2010 FedEx Cup champion Jim Furyk and ten celebrity servers from the PGA TOUR, during the week of the AT&T Nationalat Aronimick in nearby Newtown Square, PA. The event raised $83,000 and benefited Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
TV cameras could be found throughout Morton’s dining room during the cocktail hour as the golfers served hors d’oeuvres to the 160-plus guests in attendance. Local media personality Beasley Reece served as the Master of Ceremonies and Paul Jolovitz was the Live Auctioneer, providing great energy and enthusiasm. We had many of the “Young Guns” of the PGA TOUR “working” as servers at the Jim Furyk “Celebrity Server” event, including Webb Simpson, Tommy “Two Gloves” Gainey, William McGirt (who tweeted from our event throughout the night), Scott Stallings, Bobby Gates, Ricky Barnes, Charley Hoffman, Billy Horschel, Spencer Levin, and even Mike Cowan, Jim Furyk’s longtime caddy known as “Fluff.” To enjoy another perspective and recap of the charity event, click here to read a blog post by Laury Livsey from the PGA TOUR staff. We also had a flurry of great media coverage including this news story from local ABC affiliate, WPVI-TV!
Tommy Gainey trades his putter for a pepper mill
In addition to this exciting and successful “Celebrity Server” event, we saw several PGA TOUR golfers dine with us during the AT&T National Tournament including Boo Weekly, Arjun Atwal, Patrick Cantlay, Kirk Triplett, Tim Herron, and the player who lead the tournament for the first two rounds and finished second overall, K.J. Choi.
As the Official Steakhouse of the PGA TOUR , Morton’s will be hosting more “Celebrity Server” events and welcoming more well-known PGA TOUR golfers as our guests. Join our mailing list, check out our monthly “Celebrity Sightings” recap on our blog or visit our website for information and upcoming events.
Senior V.P. of Marketing and Communications