Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitation Gone From Bahamas

Every January for the past few years, I would look forward to the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational Golf Tournament on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. However after a ten year run, it has moved to Las Vegas. Pictured about are some of the souvenirs that I acquired during my stints as a caddy. I had a great time at it.

Final Slew of Pics From The Michael Jordan Invitational 2010

Here is the final slew of pictures from the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational that was held last weekend on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

Brian Baumgartner strides past the leader board as spectators seek Wayne Gretzky's autograph:

Eric Dickerson and actor Alan Thicke on the 18th green:

Speedskater Dan Jansen (in the red shirt) discusses his pitch to the green with teammate Stone Phillips of NBC.

Vince Coleman drives the ball as Michael Jordan looks on:

Wayne Gretzky has a cell phone moment coming off the 9th green:

Gretzky puts as Jordan looks on:

Vince Coleman on the ninth green:

Jordan contemplates his putt with the ever present Cuban cigar in his mouth:

Dr. J, Julius Erving has an uphill putt:

Brett Hull smiles for the camera coming off the number 4 green:

Big Ben Roethlisberger lines up his putt, as Janet Gretzky in black looks on:

Roethlisberger and Roger Clemens wait to putt:

Here are the official results:

1. Smoltz / Erving $40,000

2. Young / Chastain $30,000

3. Lemieux / Piazza $24,000

T4. Clemens / Roethlisberger $17,000

T4. Coleman / Baumbgartner $17,000

T6. Hull / J. Gretzky $13,000

8. Taylor / Oakley $10,000

9. Allen / Hamm $8,000

T10. Crudup / Everhart $3,500

T10. Griffey Jr. / Mourning $3500

T10. O'Neill / Cheadle $3500

13. Lofton /Show $2500

14. Doleman / Dent $2500

15. Dickerson / Thicke $2500

T16. Jansen / Phillips $2500

18. Hardaway / Tucke $2500

19. Quinn / Alexander $2500

I believe that all of the winnings are donated to charity.

This was the last of the Michael Jordan Invitationals to be held in the Bahamas. It was a ten year run. Insiders tell me that next year the venue will be Las Vegas.

Another Tranche of Golfing Celebrity Pictures

As promised, here are some more pics from the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational 2010 held at the Ocean Club on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

Pittsburgh Penguins hockey star Mario Lemieux:

Pitcher John Smoltz (Grant Show from Melrose Place is in the red shirt in the background):

John Smoltz and basketball legend Dr. J Julius Erving:

MVP Catcher Mike Piazza (the woman bending over in the background is soccer Olympian Brandi Chastain):

Marcus Allen driving at the tee box:

Brett Hull putts as Janet Gretzky watches:
I will post the final tranche of photos tomorrow.

More Pictures From The Jordan Invitational

More pics from the Michael Jordan Invitational on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

Michael Jordan getting ready to drive on the 10th hole:

Jordan walking with security. The guy that looks like he is playing the harmonica, is actually a security guy that Jordan has accompanying him.

Walking off the 4th green from the left is Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback for the Steelers, middle is a caddie and to the right in the red shirt is pitcher Roger Clemens.

Here Clemens and Big Ben are putting:

This is my friend Yves now famous ball cap. He volunteered at the Jordan, and the volunteers (and players -- Jordan is wearing the same cap) got the Nike ball caps.
To the left is Wayne Gretzky's autograph and to the right is Mario Lemieux's. This ball cap is now priceless to Yves.

More pics tomorrow of the Jordan Invitational.

Report from the Jordan Invitational

4th Hole at the Ocean Club this morning.

Well, I did walk around the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational Golf Tournament this morning. I met my friend Yves from Montreal who is working here in the islands. He volunteered at the event, and he was wearing his red MJ Nike cap that was autographed by none other than Wayne Gretzky -- a fitting souvenir for a Canadian.

I also met a guy who worked for Sports Illustrated Magazine, and the professional autograph seekers that I have come to know over the past three years. I left before noon, and I think that Adrian Young and Brandi Chastain were leading at -7. Michael Jordan was playing with Wayne Gretzky and they were even.

In the above photo, from left to right Brian Baumgartner (actor from The Office) in light blue shirt; Wayne Gretzky (dark blue shirt and shorts), caddie, Michael Jordan, Vince Coleman and caddie.

The matchups went this way

1. Vince Coleman and Brian Baumgartner at -1 vs. Jordan and Gretzky who were even.

2. Paul O'Neill and Don Cheadle at -2 vs. Marcus Allen and Mia Hamm who were at -1. Hamm's caddie was her husband Nomar Garciaparra, the ex-shortstop for the Boston Red Sox.

3. John Smoltz and Julius (Dr. J) Irving at -4 vs. Kenny Lofton and Grant Show at -3.

4. Roger Clemens and Ben Roethlisberger at -5 vs. Brett Hull and Janet Gretzky at -4.

5. Adrian Young and Brandi Chastain at -7 vs. Mario Lemieux and Mike Piazza at -6.

6. Don Jansen and Stone Phillips at +4 vs. Eric Dickerson and Alan Thicke at +5.

7. Penny Hardaway and Chris Tucker at +2 vs. Chris Doleman and Richard Dent at +3.

8. Aidan Quinn and Flex Alexander at +1 vs. Jerome Bettis and Michael Wilbon at +2. (I had to look Wilbon up -- he is a sportswriter and columnist and ESPN type).

9. Billy Crudup and Angie Everhart at Even vs. Lawrence Taylor and Charles Oakley at Even.

10. Ken Griffey Jr. and Alonzo Mourning at Even.

It looks like a lot of the celebs chose not to participate in the final two days, and the last MJ tournament in the Bahamas.

Marcus Allen on the Driving Range -- Michael Jordan Invitational 2010

Football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen(left) is on the driving range at the Ocean Club, getting swing pointers from a golf pro (blue shirt in center). This was taken at the Michael Jordan Celebrity Golf Tournament on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

Brian Baumgartner at the Michael Jordan Invitational 2010

Below is a pic of Brian Baumgartner at the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational Golf Tournament on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

Television viewers are more likely to remember him looking the photo below from his hit TV series The Office.
In the television series, he plays a character called Kevin Malone.

It is 7:33 AM and raining outside on this Saturday morning. It is not sunny at all. I hope it clears in time for the tee offs.

Since the venue is only five minutes from our house, I think that I will go and take some more pics tomorrow if the weather cooperates.

The Michael Jordan Invitational Golf Tournament 2010

For the first time since we have been here in the Bahamas, I am not participating in the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational Golf Tournament. I have been busy with other things. Usually I volunteer as a scorer for the first two days and then caddy for the celebrities during the last two days of the tournament. This will be the last Michael Jordan tournament held in the Bahamas. The contract has expired.

The Lovely One and I walked around the Ocean Club Golf Course where it is being held. It is a five minute walk from our house. The first thing that I saw when I entered, were the "regular" autograph seekers". They buy old sports magazines at yard sales, garage sales and such and then get the celebs to autograph the pictures. The autographed pic then goes on eBay. These guys share a hotel room, eat Ramen noodles for the whole time that they are here, and make a bit of money.

There is a discrepancy between the list of celebs on the official website and who actually shows up. The website does state that the list is liable to change due to scheduling conflicts. For example, Derek Jeter was listed to attend for the past two years, and has never shown.

The list of celebrities attending this year are as follows (I got the list from the Pairing Matchup sheets from the organizers).

• Wayne and Janet Gretzky -hockey player and wife
• Paul O'Neill (this ex-NY Yankee has played in groups that I have caddied for and he is a great guy and a gracious celeb)
• Roger Clemens (again, I have caddied in a group with Roger and he is a good guy. I would jump at the chance to caddy for Roger. He is friendly as well. On the very first hole, even though I was caddying for Boris Becker, he walked up and shook my hand and said "I'm Roger".
• Ken Griffey Jr.
• Brett Hull the hockey player
• Mario Lemieux (this hockey player is a lot taller than he looks like on ice)
• Penny Hardaway - NBA basketballer
• Grant Show -played Jake Hanson on Melrose Place
• Michael Jordan
• Vince Coleman - baseball player
• Chris Doleman - football, defensive end
• Johnny Damon -- New York Yankees star. Johnny has a broad southern accent. He told me how he likes to go fishing in his native Florida. Nice, nice guy.
• Stone Phillips - ex NBC Dateline anchor
• Aidan Quinn - actor
• John Smoltz - baseballer. I have caddied for a group that he has played in.
• Marcus Allen -ex footballer
• Eric Dickerson - ex footballer
• Chris Tucker -actor
• Alan Thicke - Canadian actor
• Flex Alexander -actor/comedian
• Julius Irving - the great Dr. J of basketball fame
• Mike Piazza -- catcher. He has been in a group that I have caddied for. He is an extremely nice guy, and can hit the golf ball a mile. Every time that he used his driver, we called it "Air Piazza"
• Charles Oakley - basketballer
• Lawrence Taylor -- football
• Richard Dent - football
• CC Sabathia -- NY Yankees pitchers. A gracious man. I helped him find a lost golf ball.
• Michael Crabtree - footballer
• Mia Hamm -- female soccer star
• Dre Bly - football
• Adrian Young - drummer for the rock band "No Doubt"
• Dan Jansen - speed skater and Olympic star
• John Ventimiglia - actor from the Sopranos
• Jerome Bettis -football
• Stuart Scott -ESPN announcer
• Kenny Lofton -baseballer
• Brandi Chastain -- female soccer star -- famous for taking off her shirt on the field after winning the gold medal
• Billy Crudup -actor
• Ben Roethlisberger - quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers -- Big Ben
• Brian Baumgartner -- actor from the show "The Office". I have bad karma with this guy. Not only did I bop him in the head with a golf bag (he stooped to pick up his ball and I swung into him) but I also accidentally stepped on his ball and drove it in the earth.

When I first caddied, I caddied for Boris Kodjoe. Then I caddied in his group the following year. He is not here this year, as well as Boris Becker. Last year they had James Caan and Samuel L. Jackson and Bill Clinton among the celebrities.

I have very fond memories of the MJ Tournament that I will always cherish.