The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Gene Bartow Will Be Honored Throughout Classic
1/5/2012 12:00:00 AM | General
Jan. 5, 2012
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB athletics department will pay tribute to the late Gene Bartow throughout the UAB-Memphis contest on Saturday night.
The game between the Blazers and Tigers was already designated as the Bartow Classic. The UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center and UAB Men's Basketball are teaming up for the third year of the fundraiser, which will benefit the Coach Gene Bartow Fund for Cancer Research.
Fans can take an active part in remembering Coach Bartow in the following ways:
• Fans can CLICK HERE to leave condolences for the Bartow family.
• Fans attending Saturday's game will receive a "GB" sticker at the gate replicating the patch that all UAB athletic teams will wear for the remainder of the academic year.
• Fans will receive a commemorative flipcard, dedicated to the "Father of UAB Athletics."
• There will be a video area on the main concourse for fans to leave video messages, which will be edited and presented to the family.
• Fans are encouraged to add to the memorial with flowers and memorabilia around Coach Bartow's statue on the concourse of Bartow Arena.
Other tributes during the game include:
• Long-time Blazers' radio play-by-play announcer, Gary Sanders, will serve as public address announcer.
• The first UAB athletic logo (the Blazer Chevron) and a replica of the GB patch will be placed on the court.
• A moment of silence will be conducted prior to team introductions.
• A chair with the Blazer Chevron (from Coach Bartow's era) will be placed in the first position on the bench and will be unoccupied, except for a green sport coat and green and gold tie.
• A video tribute will celebrate the many accomplishments of Coach Bartow.
• The Comprehensive Cancer Center will be staffing the main entrance to offer information on cancer treatment and research and how to make donations to the Coach Gene Bartow Fund for Cancer Research.
Sponsored by UAB Medicine, the game with Memphis will tip off at 8 p.m.
A portion of the proceeds from the game will be donated to the Coach Gene Bartow Fund for Cancer Research. Tickets for the game, which will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network, are $27 for lower level reserved seats and $22 for upper level reserved seats and can be purchased online at UABSports.com or by calling 205-975-UAB1 (8221).
