Bret Bielema Headlines ‘Talking Football’ Dinner in Little Rock

On the evening of Sunday, May 19, new University of Arkansas head football coach Bret Bielema will speak during the “Talking Football” dinner at Chenal Country Club’s St. Andrews Ballroom in Little Rock. The dinner will begin at 6 p.m.

On Monday, May 20, the 15^th annual Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Celebrity Golf Classic will be headlined by Bielema at Chenal Country Club.

Tables of 10 for the Hall of Fame’s “Talking Football” dinner are $2,000. Individual tickets are $200.

Those desiring to purchase dinner tickets should call the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame at (501) 663-4328.

On May 20, lunch for golfers will be served at 11:30 a.m. with a 1 p.m. tee time. Awards will be presented following the tournament.

The Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Celebrity Golf Classic and the Sunday night dinner long have been among the premier sports events in the state, featuring past inductees into the Hall of Fame and other sports celebrities. A number of past inductees already have committed to play in this year’s tournament and attend the Sunday night dinner. The proceeds from the events will benefit the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.

The official hotel of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame is the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel in North Little Rock. Out-of-town guests needing room reservations should call (501) 371-9000.

Bret Bielema was named as the head coach at Arkansas in early December. He has taken the state by storm since then with his outgoing personality and his sense of confidence. As head coach at the University of Wisconsin, Bielema had a 68-24 record and took the Badgers to three consecutive Rose Bowls.

Several members of Bielema’s coaching staff will join him for the Sunday night dinner and the Celebrity Golf Classic.

The Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame inducted its first class in 1959. The Class of 2013 was inducted in March at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock with more than 1,000 people in attendance at the induction banquet.

Ray Tucker is the executive director of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette sports editor Wally Hall is the organization’s president.

The Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Museum on the west side of Verizon Arena is open each Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. It includes an 88-seat theater with a video highlighting the careers of Arkansas sports greats along with a touch-screen kiosk with a database of all Hall of Fame inductees.

Dues-paying members of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame vote each year on inductees. Membership forms can be obtained by going to the organization’s website at www.arksportshalloffame.com.