"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the main event. Let's get ready to rumble!"
Moments after that announcement, the fighting began at the fourth annual Tuesday's Children benefit on Wednesday, June 6, a manly fund-raiser if ever there was one. The draw was seven boxing matches between the New York City Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department, but the booze, cigars, and lingerie models went over pretty well, too.Tuesday's Children, a nonprofit organization created to help children who lost a parent in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, inherited the idea of a benefit boxing match from two of its board members, said organization planner Amy Wright. This year they added the lingerie models, who volunteered to wander the cocktail and dinner crowds in varying states of undress to help drum up interest in the silent auction. Sports heroes including former heavyweight champ Joe Frazier and former Mets reliever John Franco also mingled.
The nearly 400 guests in attendance at the Sheraton—by and large a mix of Wall Street and law enforcement guys, with a few women (the non-models) thrown in—puffed away at the cigars decorating each table, even though there was no formal smoking-law exemption. General Cigars was one of the night's sponsors.
Guests ate a pre-fight dinner of shrimp cocktail and filet mignon while listening to a New York-state-of-mind soundtrack of Frank Sinatra and the like.
Moments after that announcement, the fighting began at the fourth annual Tuesday's Children benefit on Wednesday, June 6, a manly fund-raiser if ever there was one. The draw was seven boxing matches between the New York City Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department, but the booze, cigars, and lingerie models went over pretty well, too.Tuesday's Children, a nonprofit organization created to help children who lost a parent in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, inherited the idea of a benefit boxing match from two of its board members, said organization planner Amy Wright. This year they added the lingerie models, who volunteered to wander the cocktail and dinner crowds in varying states of undress to help drum up interest in the silent auction. Sports heroes including former heavyweight champ Joe Frazier and former Mets reliever John Franco also mingled.
The nearly 400 guests in attendance at the Sheraton—by and large a mix of Wall Street and law enforcement guys, with a few women (the non-models) thrown in—puffed away at the cigars decorating each table, even though there was no formal smoking-law exemption. General Cigars was one of the night's sponsors.
Guests ate a pre-fight dinner of shrimp cocktail and filet mignon while listening to a New York-state-of-mind soundtrack of Frank Sinatra and the like.
Photo: BizBash
A ring from J.K. Ringside was set up in the middle of the Sheraton's ballroom an hour before dinner began. The lighting designers used gobos projecting the American flag and fireworks to create a patriotic feel.
Photo: BizBash
Matches followed the rules of the U.S. Amateur Boxing Federation, complete with judging. Arthur Mercante Jr. served as referee and Phil Tufano as ring announcer. The NYPD won, 4-3.
Photo: BizBash
Penthouse Pet of the Year runner-up Krista Ayne served as the ringside girl during rounds.
Photo: BizBash
Sponsor General Cigars provided the stogies, and clouds of cigar smoke filled the room before, during, and after dinner.
Photo: BizBash
With items including signed baseballs, helmets, and jerseys as well as photographs like this one of Tony Soprano at a poker table, the silent auction was perfectly suited to the very masculine crowd.
Photo: BizBash
