Frank Deford is coming to Denver on May 4 to accept the Denver Press Club’s Damon Runyon Award. He’s known for his sports writing and his sports commentary on NPR. But he may not know that more than a couple of the Runyon honorees went on to kick the proverbial bucket soon after winning the award (Tim Russert, Ed Bradley, David Halberstam, to name a few), and don’t tell him.
Also presented by the Press Club is its first Pen and Sword Literary Open House at 6 p.m. Sept. 30. Local and formerly local authors will appear to chat about the craft. The roster includes Harlan Abrahams, Mary Chandler, Sharon Cooper, Denny Dressman, Casey Demchak, Terry Frei, Warren Hern, Mike Madigan, Alan Kania, Dick Kreck, Barry Petersen, Irene Woodbury and Norm Clarke.
Clarke? He’s the pirate-patched Rocky Mountain News columnist who moved on to Las Vegas to become the town’s top itemizer. “I haven’t been back for a year and a half and thought it would be fun to see some folks,” he said. He’ll bring with him his latest book, “Sinsational Celebrity Tales.”
Football.
Tennessee State University plays Air Force on Saturday — and it will not go unnoticed. TSU’s Alumni Association and the Colorado Black Chamber host the Colorado Black College Weekend, which started with parties Thursday at Jing, tonight at the Marriott Courtyard Cherry Creek, a tailgate party at Air Force on Saturday and a step show after the game at the Auraria Campus Event Center. Everyone can pray about 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sunday at New Hope Baptist Church.
TSU grad Greg Diggs, an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado Denver, said that when he and others organized the weekend, “we had no idea it would grow into something like this.” He’s expecting 300 at tonight’s party, but he won’t predict how many will make it to church Sunday.
Lannie’s.
There’s no slowing down for Lannie Garrett. On Saturday, she married 5280 editor/publisher Dan Brogan. On Sunday, her favorite singer, Raul Malo, packed the house at her downtown club, Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret. On Monday, she hosted a viewing party at the cabaret for Urban Method, the Denver group in NBC’s “The Sing-Off.” And tonight and Saturday, it’s ’80s Ladies Burlesque; Jimmy Trujillo’s Salsa/Jazz Band on Sunday; and Denver YouTube sensation Dred Scott on Wednesday (his CD comes out Tuesday).
The honeymoon can wait.
EATS!
Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, the No. 1 Eater in the World, according to Major League Eating, will celebrate our early Oktoberfest at 2 p.m. Saturday by eating many Continental Sausages on the German Stage at 20th and Larimer streets.
He is not devouring cheap wieners. Continental makes the best in town. In a release, Chestnut says he’ll wash them down with beer.
Denver’s top eater, Bryan “Big Sexy” Beard, also will chew on a few.
City spirit.
Author-journalist Cokie Roberts is here Oct. 25 for the Denver Scholarship Foundation. . . . Sez who: “The good things are football, kindness and jazz bands.” — philosopher George Santayana
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Friday. You can reach him at bhusted@denverpost.com or 303-954-1486. Take a peek at his next column at .
