* Heather Cox Coe, former American Idol contender is a friend of Paul Cartwright. The Elkin, N.C. mother of three is trying to raise $100,000 for surgery in Hamptonville, N.C. And Cartwright`s Sports Celebrity Marketing is trying to help Heather reach her goal with a sports auction. Bidding closes Nov. 30 and Heather has raised $56,100 as of Monday night. .... 2014 Canadians in the Minors … Canadians in College 2015 Canadian draft list …. Canadians in College 2016 Canadian draft list  Letters of Intent

 

By Bob Elliott

Paul Cartwright’s business is athletes.

Like they used to say on the TV show Hawaii 5-0 “book em.”

And Cartwright books ‘em.

A group will call Cartwright looking for a banquet guest and his Sports Celebrity Marketing business will former players for banquets, sales conferences, grand openings and charity events.

His Hall of Fame stable includes Ernie Banks, Bert Blyleven, Whitey Ford, Gaylord Perry and Canada’s national treasure Fergie Jenkins (Chatham, Ont.).

His company -- Sports Celebrity Marketing -- can book former Blue Jays Tony Fernandez, Pat Hentgen, Dave Stewart, Jesse Barfield, Cecil Fielder, Dave Collins, Mark Eichhorn, Willie Aikens, John Candelaria, Gary Lavelle, Rick Leach, Fred McGriff, Lloyd Moseby, Al Oliver, Aaron Small, Paul Spoljaric (Lisle, Ont.), Willie Upshaw, Duane Ward and Devon White.

In his 10th year of operation in 2007 Cartwright was stumped when he got off the phone.

A client wanted both an athlete as a keynote speaker and a singer for a gala in the United States.

Now, since Mookie Wilson can’t carry a tune in a suitcase, Cartwright went looking.

He found American Idol finalist, Heather Cox Coe, who lived northwest of Winston-Salem, N.C. in Elkin, N.C.

Cartwright, who lives outside Georgetown, Ont., near Terra Cotta, thought Heather had a great voice, presence and was a gorgeous young lady who could handle herself with class and dignity.

Heather helped out Cartwright by taking that 2007 booking.

And he booked her at a couple of churches after that for singing engagement.

Then the symptoms of a tumor flared up and Heather became pregnant with their first child, so that was as far as Cartwirght’s professional relationship went.

While booking the likes of pro athletes Bill Buckner, Steve Garvey, John Hiller, Bert Campaneris, Bernie Carbo, Dave Cash, Warren Cromartie, Tommy Davis, Mike Easler, Bill Freehan, Willie Horton, Randy Jones, Brian Jordan, Jim Kaat, Jerry Koosman, Ron LeFlore, Mickey Lolich, Jim Lonborg, Tippy Martinez, Omar Moreno, Jerry Reuss, Joe Rudi, Bret Saberhagen, Luis Tiant, Terry Puhl (Melville, Sask.), Chris Robinson (Dorchester, Ont.) plus his hockey clients, a friendship continued to grow between Heather and her husband, Curtis, Cartwright and his wife, Fay.

Now Heather and her husband have three children: Lucius, 5, Jayden, 2, and Kaylen, one.

Cartwright is now trying to help Heather.

Now, a mother of three, Heather needs specialized brain surgery to remove a tumor on her pineal gland at the base of her brain. Through the donations of pro athletes, over 90 great autographed items for bidders have been assembled.

Cartwright says each item has come directly from the athlete (or their professional club in some cases) with Heather’s needs specifically in mind.

Visit Heather’s hope.

The home page tells you about Heather and her needs.

You can click on the “auction” tab to see our the items.

It’s a way to get Christmas shopping done early while helping a young mother pay her medical bills.

Some items include:

_ An Albert Pujols game-used autographed bat.

_ Autographed footballs, autographed by Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Warrick Dunn, Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Ron Jaworski, Jeff Garcia, Andy Dalton, Joe Thiesmann and others.

_ Autographed jerseys, autographed by Paul Molitor (now Minnesota Twins manager), Paul Henderson, Eric Dickerson, Ron Ellis, Maple Leaf alumni (38 players), Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle.

_ Autographed guitar and drum head by Chris Daughtry (Heather was a finalist on American Idol the same season as Daughtry).

_ A Pittsburgh Steelers fantasy package of two tickets to a game, passes to the Legends Tent which includes mingling with Hall of Famers like Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier, a tour of the Steeler Hall of Fame and then sit with Andy Russell, a legendary Steeler linebacker, the companion for the entire day.

_ Four field level box seats to a Cleveland Indians game, the personal seats of Indians president, Mark Shapiro.

Bidding closes midnight on Nov 30.