Mickey's News and Views

Nov. 25, 1999

HI Everyone,

Well, I've been traveling a lot lately. Phyllis and I spent the last weekend of October in Las Vegas. We went up for the St. Jude Celebrity Golf Classic. As you know the St. Jude Hospital charity is the brain child of Danny Thomas. His daughter, Marlo Thomas and her husband, Phil Donohue continue her father's efforts as the official hosts. We stayed at a new facility, The Resort at Summerlin. It is absolutely beautiful. It has all the amenities. I even got a massage. Pretty cool, huh?

My friend Brant Whetstone from Dallas invited me to the event. We met a day before the actual tournament and played a practice round together at TPC Summerlin. That is the same course that Tiger Wood won his first tournament on. I loved playing that course. We played the tournament at The Canyons. It is a spectacular golf course located near Red Rock Canyon. It is also a target course. That means it was tough but you didn't really care because it was so beautiful. We had a great time in Las Vegas.

The second weekend in November, I went to Houston, Texas for the Jeff Maggert / Doug Drabeck Celebrity Golf Tournament at The Woodlands. Brant Whetstone also invited me to this event. It was mostly sports celebrities. However, I invited Don Most. You know Ralph Malph from "Happy Days", John Byner, the funniest man I know and Frank Dicopolous from the soap opera "Guiding Light". We played TPC Summerlin. It was tough!!! But it was great!!! Thanks Brant.

On Monday, the 15th, I did a tournament at Spanish Hills Country Club in Camarillo, CA for Ventura County Christian High School. I love that place. Imagine, a school where you can pray. Back to the principles of the founding fathers. What a concept! I love it. After the tournament, I auctioned off a couple of items for the charity. I was wearing my Guilty Wear golf shirt. It says GUILTY across the front. Several people fell in love with it. I tell everybody it is my Clinton shirt. Well, there was no way I was getting out of there with that shirt. I auctioned it off for $300.00. I signed it and it will hang in the trophy case at the school. I walked in the door at home with no shirt. I had some explaining to do. Phyllis thought it was pretty cool too.

On the 18th I went to Palm Springs for The Foundation, another celebrity golf tournament. We played Friday and Saturday. I checked out of the hotel Sunday morning and checked into another hotel that afternoon for the Dennis James Celebrity Golf Tournament on Monday. It was a great event that memorializes my friend Dennis James. He was a great guy. I miss him.

While waiting to check in to the hotel Sunday afternoon, I went to the Palm Springs Air Museum. I loved it. If you get to Palm Springs, don't miss the air museum. I'm sure you will love it too.

December 4th I will be hitting the bell ringing Santas for the Salvation Army of Ventura. I'm doing some appearances for them. I am glad to help. Also, I'll be leading the pack as the Ventura chapter of ABATE does their annual toy run for kids in need. That is something I enjoy doing as well. It is a sight. Several hundred motorcycles, all with toys on the handlebars. It is truly the best.

Well, it is the night before Thanksgiving. As I write this I am thinking of all of you and want to send each of you my wishes for the best Holiday ever. Interesting word, Thanks and Giving. If we all give thanks to God for our personal blessing and try to give as much as we can to help others, this would be a different world we live in.

Lastly, I want to extend my sincere thanks to April for all of her hard work on this site. She is the best. April, just remember one thing. Friendship is Forever!

Your Friend,

Mickey