Hall Of Fame Athletes Expected To Join Bob Hope

Philadelphia 76ers slam dunk king and Basketball Hall of Famer Julius ?Dr. J? Erving is returning to the Bob Hope Classic?s celebrity field for the first time since 1993, and Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Los Angeles Rams running back Eric Dickerson, Hockey Hall of Famer and Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup winning goaltender Grant Fuhr, and Chicago drummer and musician Danny Seraphine are expected to make their Classic debuts among the 384-player amateur field teeing off next week at the 52nd Bob Hope Classic.

Erving joins an impressive and fresh roster of celebrity athletes slated to play in the $5 million Bob Hope Classic, which includes former boxing world champion and 1976 Olympic gold medalist Sugar Ray Leonard (also a Classic debutante), Tampa Bay Rays All-Star third baseman Evan Longoria, four-time Cy Young Award winner, 355-game winning pitcher and future Baseball Hall of Famer Greg Maddux, and former National Football League and Major League Baseball star Bo Jackson.

Other celebrity participants expected to play in the first four rounds (72 holes) of the Bob Hope Classic, a desert tradition since 1960, include: musicians Alice Cooper, Tommy Thayer (KISS), Steve Cropper, Steve Azar, and Don Felder (formerly of The Eagles), country music singer Pat Green, actors Kurt Russell, William Devane, Craig T. Nelson (Parenthood), Rob Morrow (Numb3ers, Northern Exposure), Peter Gallagher (Covert Action, The OC, Mr. Deeds), Scott Wolf (V, Party of Five), Joel Gretsch (V), Oliver Hudson (Rules of Engagement) and Richard Kind (Mad About You, Spin City), Tony Dovolani (Dancing with the Stars), Nigel Lythgoe (So You Think You Can Dance, American Idol executive producer), actors/comedians Kevin Nealon (Saturday Night Live, Happy Gilmore, Weeds) and Gary Valentine (The King of Queens), actor/comedian/game show host John O?Hurley, comedians Tom Dreesen and Ron White, former NFL MVP and Super Bowl-winning running back and NFL Network analyst Marshall Faulk, former Green Bay Packers wide receiver and NFL Network analyst Sterling Sharpe, former NFL wide receiver Willie Gault, former NFL tight end Frank Wycheck, current Minnesota Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell, Basketball Hall of Famer and San Antonio Spurs star George ?The Iceman? Gervin, American figure skating legend and 1984 Olympic Gold medalist Scott Hamilton, retired Indycar driver and 1985 Indianapolis 500 winner Danny Sullivan, sports broadcaster Ann Liguori, and FOX News anchor Bret Baier.

Dreesen will make his 17th consecutive Bob Hope Classic appearance and 20th overall, joining Bob Hope, Andy Williams, Glen Campbell, Johnny Bench, Gerald Ford, Gary Morton and Lawrence Welk as the Classic?s only celebrities to play 20 years. Dreesen has the longest active playing streak in the Classic among celebrities.

Cropper, Seraphine, Green, Morrow, Gallagher, Wolf, Dovolani, Lythgoe, Leonard, Dickerson, Gault, Gervin, Longwell, Fuhr, Sullivan, Liguori and Baier are scheduled to make their Classic debuts in the celebrity golfing field.

The celebrity field?s schedule is as follows: Wednesday, Jan. 19, SilverRock Resort; Thursday, Jan. 20, La Quinta Country Club; Friday, Jan. 21, Nicklaus Private at PGA WEST; Saturday, Jan. 22, Arnold Palmer Private at PGA WEST.

For the latest updates to the celebrity field and a description of each celebrity player, please visit the Bob Hope Classic website at www.bobhopeclassic.com/celebrities.html.

Bill Haas won his first PGA TOUR title at the 2010 Bob Hope Classic and was one of seven golfers to win multiple PGA TOUR events in 2010. He will return to defend his Classic title next week and is joined by elite players like 2010 PGA TOUR money list and scoring average champion and 2010 FedExCup runner-up Matt Kuchar, 2009 British Open winner Stewart Cink and 2007 Classic champ Charley Hoffman, who finished fourth last year?s FedExCup standings.

The Bob Hope Classic, annually the PGA TOUR?s first golf event in California, is expected to feature 10 PGA TOUR champions from 2010 ? Haas, Kuchar, Hoffman, Bubba Watson, Ryan Palmer, Heath Slocum, Bill Lunde, Derek Lamely, Matt Bettencourt and Cameron Beckman ? as well as four 2010 U.S. Ryder Cup players (Kuchar, Cink, Watson and Jeff Overton) and eight players who finished in the top 30 of the 2010 FedExCup playoff standings ? Kuchar, Hoffman, Watson, Palmer, Kevin Streelman, Kevin Na, Overton and Bo Van Pelt.

For the second consecutive year, the Bob Hope Classic will be played within La Quinta, at La Quinta Country Club, SilverRock Resort, and the Palmer and Nicklaus Private Courses at PGA WEST. Practice rounds for the 2011 Classic at all four courses will be conducted Monday, Jan. 17 and Tuesday, Jan. 18. Tournament play begins Wednesday, Jan. 19 and concludes Sunday, Jan. 23 at the Palmer Private Course at PGA WEST.

The Bob Hope Classic?s website, www.bobhopeclassic.com, is one online platform by which fans can more easily gain information about, and purchase tickets for the 2011 Classic. Fans can also log onto Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/BobHopeClassic) and Twitter (@bobhopeclassic) to keep up on pre-tournament and tournament week news, see exclusive celebrity photos, and enter various contests for the chance to win Bob Hope Classic tickets and other tournament prizes.

In 51 years, the Classic has donated nearly $49 million to charities throughout the Coachella Valley. For tickets and more information, go to www.bobhopeclassic.com or call 1.888.MRBHOPE (672.4673).