Aug. 1, 2005

Former Baylor football player Hayden Fry, who went on to coach at North Texas, SMU and Iowa in a College Football Hall of Fame coaching career, will be honored at 7 p.m., Wed., Aug. 17, at the JW Marriott in Houston as the Touchdown Club of Houston's Touchdowner of the Year.

The award is given annually for extraordinary contributions and outstanding achievements reflecting honor and sportsmanship to football over a lengthy period of time. Past winners include Grant Teaff, Gordon Wood, Darrell Royal, Doak Walker, Tom Landry, R.C. Slocum, Bear Bryant, Earl Campbell, Bud Adams, John David Crow, Elvin Bethea, Spike Dykes and Dave Campbell.

Among those speaking on Fry's behalf include Jerry LeVias, whom Fry made the first African-American scholarship football player in Southwest Conference history at SMU.

Tickets are $40 each, and a table is $400. Premium seating is $500 (bronze table sponsorship), $1,000 (silver table sponsorship), $1,500 (gold table sponsorship) or $5,000 (platinum sponsorship). All tables are 10 seats each.

Tickets can be purchased by e-mailing houtdclub@houston.rr.com, or by calling the TD Club's hotline at 281-754-4867. For more information, go to the Club's website at www.touchdownclub.org.