Corey Reese
Published: October 12, 2005
Hurricane Katrina flooded New Orleans and flattened many other cities and towns in Louisiana and Mississippi. Professional and collegiate sports organizations have stepped forward to help contribute to the relief efforts.
Major League Baseball contributed two million dollars to Hurricane Katrina relief the day after the disaster. All players’ batting helmets sport the Red Cross logo to show support and promote donating to the fund. New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner donated $1 million of his own money to the relief fund. MLB continues to help in any way possible.
The National Basketball Association has set up a number of charity games where all profits go to hurricane relief. The games, held in the Louisiana and Mississippi area, feature some of the NBA’s biggest stars, including Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Amare Stoudemire. The players then take time to visit displaced evacuees, signing autographs, giving out jerseys, and mingling with the people.
The National Football League has probably done the most to contribute to the fund, primarily because of the hurricane’s effect on the New Orleans Saints. The NFL has donated $1 million and will match donations made by the players. Some NFL players have challenged athletes in the NFL and other sports to donate.
“I am here to challenge all the players of the NFL, except the players of the New Orleans Saints, to donate $5,000 to the relief fund. If there is one player that doesn’t donate the money, they are just being selfish,” Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn told reporters during a preseason game in Atlanta.
Dunn is not the only player issuing challenges to athletes. Baltimore Ravens cornerback and future Hall of Famer Deion Sanders has also issued a challenge to all athletes of all sports.
“I challenge all players of all sports to donate $1,000 to the relief fund. If all players made this donation, it would equal a huge sum of money. I would like to personally thank all of these athletes ahead of time because I know they will fulfill my request,” Sanders said on ESPN’s NFL Live.
Sports teams are not only donating money. They are also playing their games as normal, providing a welcome distraction. Baseball’s wild card chases are heating up going into the last two weeks of the regular season. The NFL season has begun, and it is as good as ever. NCAA football is three weeks into its season, and the weekly matchups are exciting. Hockey and basketball seasons are approaching quickly.
Through hurricane relief efforts, and the excitement of the games, sports teams are helping in two ways, and it is wonderful to see contributions both on and off the field.
