'Unique winners' star in new book

When Gene Budig began planning for his new book, "Grasping The Ring: 9 Unique Winners in Life and Sports" the short list was 35 names long. Gradually, the Isle of Palms resident and RiverDogs co-owner whittled to nine "intriguing people" with "unshakable values."

The final cut, full of folks Budig knows well, includes New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, late baseball Hall of Famer Larry Doby, former Nebraska head football coach Tom Osborne, North Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams, former football star Gale Sayers, Chicago Bulls and Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, former Nebraska senator Bob Kerrey, USA Today founder Al Neuharth and former Kansas senator Bob Dole.

Budig will sign copies of the book tonight during the RiverDogs game at Riley Park.

"It was a unique opportunity to revisit many good memories," said Budig, who grew up in Nebraska and was a university president at Illinois State, West Virginia and Kansas before joining baseball as president of the American League. "It was a chance to talk once again to these people who were central to the process."

Budig was at Kansas when Williams was hired as head coach. Now they are Isle of Palms neighbors during Williams' summer vacations.

"Roy still loves Kansas but welcomed the opportunity to go home (to North Carolina)," Budig said. "He's an exceptional coach and one of the most decent human beings in college coaching."

Book royalties go to CollegeEd, a national program designed to increase the number of young college attendees from urban America.