New Sporting Event Honors Amateur Athlete Lewis Grizzard
Sports enthusiasts, journalists and local celebrities unite at the new LEWIS GRIZZARD GAMES 2023 to honor the talented Coweta County amateur athlete and sports editor best known for his hard-hitting opinions, humor and writing. To engage many age groups in the author, the Moreland Cultural Arts Alliance, Inc. (MCAA), which operates the museum dedicated to Lewis, is opening this new event. The Lewis Grizzard Games 2023 offers fans and average amateur athletes this series of sports games and competitions just as Lewis would have played them.
As a boy, Lewis enjoyed any game played with a ball. He wrote baseball and basketball while growing up in high school. Whether organizing sports or just playing games with his friends, Lewis never lost his passion for the sport. As an adult he was an avid golfer and tennis player. As a journalist, Lewis became the youngest senior sports editor at Atlanta newspapers at the age of 23.
In partnership with the Coweta County Parks and Recreation Department and the Coweta County Sports Hall of Fame, MCAA is offering this summer-only fun series, the Lewis Grizzard Games 2023, which will feature three events: June 22, KICK-OFF at Sprayberry’s BBQ ; 23rd June YOUTH GAMES and 24th June CELEBRITY AND ADULT GAMES, all games will be played at the Temple Avenue Recreation Complex in Newnan. Games, competitions and spectators are free. On Thursday 22nd June the games will start at 4pm with a celebration at Sprayberry’s Barbeque in Newnan. The celebration offers visitors the chance to hear from some of Lewis’ friends about his childhood and love of all ball games, enjoy music and enter a prize draw.
If you like nostalgia, you can take part in the costume competition “BEST DRESSED 1950s-60s”. Three winners receive various prizes from local businesses. Guests can purchase delicacies at Lewis’ favorite BBQ restaurant, Sprayberry’s BBQ, which Lewis says is “quite simply the best BBQ spot in the world.”
Youth Games begin Friday, June 23 at the Coweta County Parks and Recreation Department’s Temple Avenue Recreation Complex. From 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., young ball players aged 10 to 15 compete against each other in softball and basketball games and competitions. No skill required. These games are just for fun. The games are free. All players must register in order to play. Players under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over. Anyone who registers and plays takes part in the raffle for prizes.
The GRAND PRIZE is a $250 gift card from Academy Sports. For login information see morelandadventure.com/events.
Saturday June 24th Celebrity Finale and the Adult Games crowns the competition series. Sportswriters, writers and local celebrities will play a game of softball to close the exhibition. adults who Those who want to play ball take part in softball and basketball competitions during the day. All activities are free. All You have to register to play. For login information see morelandadventue.com/events.
All Anyone who registers and plays takes part in the raffle for prizes. The GRAND PRIZE for the Adult games is a $250 VISA gift card for summer fun.
Visitors and players will find groceries for purchase, as well as lots of fun and music teenagers and adults games. The Coweta County Sports Hall of Fame celebrates the area’s athletes and will host an exhibition on site Honoring some of the county’s outstanding athletes.
The Lewis Grizzard GAMES 2023 is sponsored by the Moreland Cultural Arts Alliance This is the non-profit organization that runs the museum dedicated to the local author MORELAND HOMETOWN HERITAGE MUSEUM: A tribute to Lewis Grizzard. The museum opens at From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m game daysJune 22-24 for visitors to see new personal items and sports gear Exhibition from the personal belongings of the author-sportsman. Visitors are welcome weekly from 10am to 3pm Thursday-Saturday and by appointment.
For more information: morelandadventure.com or 678-492-3161 or [email protected].
About Lewis Grizzard:
Lewis M. Grizzard Jr. was born on October 20, 1946 and moved to Moreland with his son at the age of seven mother after his parents divorced; he was born in Ft. born. Benning, Georgia. Lewis visited Moreland elementary school where his mother taught. From a young age, Lewis aspired to be a sportswriterournalist. He was an avid athlete and admirer of all sports. Like his father, an Army veteran, Lewis distinguished himself Basketball and baseball, both at Newnan High School. Lewis attended the University of Georgia received an academic scholarship and began his journalism career as a sportswriter; he deserved it Sports editor’s desk at the AtlantaJournal at 23, the newspaper’s youngest sports editor.
As a player, commentator and even sponsor, Grizzard has always maintained his love for athletics. He He continued to play sports as an adult, mastering tennis and his beloved golf. Later in life Grizzard organized and sponsored tournaments.
Most notably, Grizzard continued to exercise at all times his life with a severe congenital heart disease that required many surgeries; he died after the heart Surgery at the age of 47, March 20, 1994. Known for his humor and distinctive storytelling based on his blunt and unique point of view, Grizzard wrote a regular newspaper column that was distributed in 400 newspapers and published 21 books – 18 of them the goods New York Times bestseller. Lewis entertained audiences with his stand-up comedy and his Sitcom appearance in “women design‘ as well as writing and performing original music.
LEWIS GRIZZARD GAMES:
22-24 June
BEGIN
Thursday, June 22, 4:00 p.m
Sprayberry’s BBQ
229 Jackson St Newnan, GA 30263
Music, Sweepstakes and Contests. Dine at Lewis’ favorite BBQ restaurant.
Ceremonies honoring Lewis Grizzard kick off a weekend of fun.
YOUTH GAMES:
Friday 23 June 9am-1pm
Temple Avenue complex
Coweta County Parks & Recreation Department.
39 Hospital Rd. Newnan, GA 30263
Young athletes take part in softball and basketball games and competitions.
FINAL
Lewis Grizzard Invitational softball game
Games and competitions for adults
Saturday 24 June 9am-1pm
Temple Avenue complex
Coweta County Parks & Recreation Department.
39 Hospital Rd. Newnan, GA 30263
Sportswriters and local celebrities compete in this exhibition game, and adults play for fun and prizes.