Columnist Ron Kantowski: Andre’s a giant fund-raiser

Thursday, Aug. 8, 2002 | 9:31 a.m.

Ron Kantowski's insider notes column appears Tuesday and his Page One column appears Thursday. He can be reached at ron@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4088.

In this multimedia era of teleconferences and tabloid journalism, it's rare when a superstar will take a few minutes to interact with the press one-on-one.

So when somebody like Andre Agassi rings you up at home -- even at the rude hour of 7:15 a.m. on a day off -- you don't mind taking the call.

It was one of those times -- like when David Hodo, who plays the Construction Worker for the Village People, called me at home -- that you wished a bunch of your frat brothers were around. (If you need to know, I was doing a story on the popularity of "Y-M-C-A" at Las Vegas Thunder and other minor league hockey games.)Granted, the expressed purpose of Agassi's call was to publicize the seventh annual Andre Agassi Grand Slam for Children, set for Sept. 28 at the MGM Grand Garden. But that really isn't necessary. In that the benefit will feature showstoppers such as Elton John, Martina McBride, Dennis Miller and Carlos Santana, it's guaranteed to sell out anyway -- as the first six have.

But if you plan to go, get your tickets soon, or run the risk of Sir Elton scarfing them up for his many sequined friends. Tickets are $35, $65 and $85 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the MGM box office and select TicketMaster locations. (To charge by phone, call 474-4000).

My first thought was only to mention the benefit in passing, in the manner of a first-round match against a qualifier, and move on to the main draw -- Agassi's thoughts about retirement, bringing a tournament to Las Vegas, Anna Kournikova's groundstrokes, etc.

(Given his 36-5 record this year, he indicated there's no reason to contemplate moving on to another racket just yet, and that's he still enthusiastic about orchestrating the return of big-time tennis to his hometown, although at the moment that might be more difficult than returning Lleyton Hewitt's first service. Agassi said for a tournament to survive here it would have to attract the world's top players, which, Las Vegas' magnetic qualities notwithstanding, is easier said than done.)

But those are topics for another day. The one for this one was why I was so eager to take Agassi's call in the first place. Sure, it's good for business, but 10 years ago I probably would have just let the answering machine pick up.

Maybe it's just me, but I find the 32-year-old Agassi a lot easier to pull for than the 22-year-old version.

Maybe it's because he now has even less hair than I do.

Maybe it's because in the long run, I believe a wife with trophies is better than a trophy wife.

Or maybe it's because during past five years he's been more generous than the Cubs' bullpen when it comes to his youth charities in Southern Nevada.

To wit: $10.1 million for the formation of the Andre Agassi Preparatory Academy, $1.1 million to Operation School Bell, $250,000 annually to the Andre Agassi Boys and Girls Club, $220,000 to Boys Hope, $2.25 million to Child Haven, $1 million to the Cynthia Bunker Scholarship Program, $150,000 to the I Have a Dream Foundation, $450,000 to the Las Vegas Inner-City Games and surely not last nor least, $90,000 to the Las Vegas Sun Summer Camp.

Although it's probably not possible to give back as much as Agassi has received for playing tennis, at least he seems to be trying.