Celebrity Participants

Joe Buck—Celebrity Emcee

Joe Buck has earned the distinction as one of sports' premier play-by-play broadcasters, as evidenced by his four Emmy Award wins in 1999 and 2001-2003. Buck currently handles lead play-by-play duties for FOX Sports' Award winning NFL and MLB coverage, teaming with future Hall of Famer Troy Aikman and fellow Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth while on assignment with the NFL on FOX, and three-time Emmy Award-winning analyst Tim McCarver while working out of the MLB on FOX booth. Buck is the first play-by-play announcer to handle lead MLB and NFL coverage in the same year since NBC's Curt Gowdy and ABC's Al Michaels.

Buck began his play-by-play career in the NFL on FOX broadcast booth, where he worked from 1994-1997. He and NFL on FOX analyst Tim Green formed one of the network's original six NFL broadcast teams in 1994, when at age of 25, Buck was the youngest announcer to call a regular slate of NFL games on network television.

In April, Buck and McCarver each brought home his second consecutive award for Outstanding Play-by-Play and Event Analyst, respectively. Buck capped off a stellar rookie campaign for MLB on FOX in 1996 when, at age 27, he became the youngest play-by-play announcer to call a World Series since the legendary Vin Scully (25) sat behind the mike during the 1953 Fall Classic. Buck's impressive MLB on FOX resume includes the 1996, 1998, 2000 - 2002 World Series, the 1997, 1999 and 2001 American League Championship Series, the 1996, 1998, 2000 - 2002 National League Championship Series, the 1997, 1999, 2001 & 2002 All-Star Games, and Mark McGwire's historic 62nd home run game on September 8, 1998.

Buck has been a radio and television announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals since 1991. His broadcasting career began in 1989, while he was an undergraduate at Indiana University. That year he called play-by-play for the Louisville Redbirds of the American Association, a minor league affiliate of the Cardinals, and was a reporter for ESPN's coverage of the Triple-A All-Star Game. In addition to his current broadcasting work for FOX Sports, Buck also contributes occasional columns to The Sporting News.

The son of broadcasting legend Jack Buck, he attended Indiana University, studying English and Telecommunications. He was born April 25, 1969, in St. Petersburg, Fla., the Cardinals spring training home, and was raised in St. Louis where he currently resides with his wife Ann, and their daughters Natalie and Trudy.

 

Karen Foss

Well-known broadcast journalist Karen Foss is a nationally honored newscaster who spent more than 25 years as anchor of KSDK-TV in St. Louis and is known as “the face of St. Louis.”

Foss, a six-time Emmy award winner, was in 2005 inducted into the Silver Circle by the National Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences for her 25 years of journalistic excellence.  Her tenure as an anchor in the 10 p.m. news slot was longer than that of any other female broadcast journalist in the nation.  Foss has been honored for her in-depth coverage of such issues as teenage illiteracy, tobacco use, the high cost of political campaigns, hospice care and adoption.

Foss is equally well known for her community contributions. Weekly stories highlighting Karen’s Kids helped place hundreds of children in loving homes.  One of Foss’s own grandchildren is an adopted child.  Along with Karen’s Kids, Foss also covered many social issues involving children such as teen crime, teen pregnancy, and teen smoking.  She has been actively involved and has spoken on behalf of various child advocacy issues.

Foss has also actively supported a range of organizations from The Salvation Army to Paraquad—a non-profit dedicated to helping the disabled establish homes and jobs to become more independent.  In 1983, Foss received the “Paraquad Service Award.”  She also was the first recipient of the St. Louis Ambassadors’ “Spirit of St. Louis” award in 1985.  The St. Louis Suburban Journals named her “Woman of Achievement” in 1989.  Also in 1989, the YMCA honored Foss with the “Special Leadership Award” for her long-standing volunteer commitment to improving the lives of the disabled and youth in St. Louis.  In 1992, the St. Louis Chapter of the NAACP honored Foss when she became the first television reporter to receive the “Roy Wilkins Freedom Award.”

Foss began her broadcasting career in her early 30s as a film editor at the CBS affiliate in Kansas City—now KCTV and rose to the anchor position there before joining KSDK-TV in 1979.  She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, her hometown. 

Foss and her husband, Jim Whiteley, are residents of Godfrey, IL.  She is the mother of two children, stepmother of two children and grandmother of three.

 

Eric Brewer

Eric Brewer started playing hockey as a young child growing up in Vernon, BC, Canada. In 1997, he was drafted by the New York Islanders in the first round, fifth overall. In 2000, he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers where enjoyed much success on the team, including being the team’s top ranked defenseman during the 2002 season. After five seasons with Edmonton, he was traded to the St. Louis Blues. A leader at defenseman on the ice, Brewer was recently named Team Captain.

Despite all of his success in the National Hockey League, Brewer lists winning the gold medal for Team Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City as his greatest hockey moment. In his free time, Brewer enjoys golf, skiing and tennis and is involved in a charity golf tournament with other NHL teammates.

He and his wife Rebecca are great supporters of KidSmart, including being judges for the Angel Character Awards and helping to arrange Blues Bookdrop Night at the March 4th Blues game.

Julie Buck

Julie is the youngest member of the broadcasting Buck family and has been the leading member of the St. Louis media for over ten years. Julie can be heard Monday thru Friday 9am-12pm on My 103.3.

Julie’s sports background includes covering and reporting on the St. Louis Rams and of course her favorite, the St. Louis Cardinals. As a feature reporter on the television show “Cardinals Crew” Julie was able to highlight her creative storytelling abilities.

In addition to her role in the media Julie is also a successful businessperson as part of J Buck’s restaurants. She also enjoys participating in charity events in the local area. Parkinson's Disease research, Cystic Fibrosis, St. Louis Crisis Nursery, The Leukemia Lymphoma Society St. Louis Children’s Hospital and breast cancer awareness are among the closest to her heart. Most recently, Julie helped Cardinal manager Tony LaRussa raise over $240,000.00 for his Animal Rescue Foundation.

Julie and her husband Jeff are also the parents of three lively little boys and reside in St. Louis County.

Ralph Butler

Ralph Butler is the frontman of the Ralph Butler Band and is consistently labeled as "Public Entertainer Number One." His established popularity makes him a staple when it comes to any performance venue. The Ralph Butler Band is constantly evolving and improving. Versatile and perfectly seasoned, RBB's music inspires a comfortable, interactive atmosphere, filling any room or sunlit sky with robust entertainment where hearts dance.

The band, like its lead singer, is a group of versatile veterans who take pride in the quality of their performance. The Ralph Butler Band collectively pours their talent into lively, loving atmospheres, transforming moods into music and music into mood. Each performer brings their personal accomplishments as seasoned musicians to the stage. Their broad repertoire offers titles ranging from Bob Marley, Bobby Darin and Bette Midler. Their original songs are enough to touch the soul of any romantic.

Butler began singing with groups back in grade school as a way to gain popularity, especially with the girls. By the time he reached high school, he was singing with a band led by Jay Bird. After playing for a few other bands, he started his own.

A big fan of city, Butler lists the central West End as his favorite place in St. Louis enjoys fishing and working outdoors.

Courtney Cooper

Courtney Cooper is an award winning reporter for KSDK News Channel 5’s magazine program Show Me St. Louis. Courtney joined KSDK in October of 2007. The Cincinnati native made her way to St. Louis from Kirksville Missouri where she was a general assignment reporter for KTVO-TV.

While in Kirksville Courtney earned National recognition for her coverage of the 2004 Corporate Airlines plane crash. She also received a Telly Award and the Associate Press Story of the Year for her work.

In 2007, Courtney’s first year on the job at KSDK, she received an Emmy Award for her report featuring the Miniature Museum of St. Louis.

Courtney graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas Texas with a B.A. degree in Journalism.

Courtney and her husband are residents of Glendale, Mo.

Shimmy Gray-Miller

Shimmy Gray-Miller enters her third season with the Billikens as head coach of women's basketball. Gray-Miller was introduced on April 19, 2005, as the sixth coach in the history of the Saint Louis University women's basketball program. Since joining the Billikens, Gray-Miller has become the third winningest coach in Billiken women's basketball history.

Giving back to the local area and community service are high priorities for Gray-Miller. She and the Billikens were involved with more than a dozen organizations in her first year in St. Louis. As a team, the Billikens performed more than 240 hours of service to the community, leading the athletic department two consecutive years.

Prior to arriving at SLU, Gray-Miller, a native of Flint, Mich., was an assistant coach at the University of Arizona for two seasons. The Wildcats made the NCAA Tournament both seasons. Before her stint at U of A, Gray-Miller was an assistant coach at the University of Washington for three years. Gray-Miller worked as a volunteer coach for the WNBA's Seattle Storm in 2003 and spent the 1999-2000 season as an assistant coach at Bellevue (Wash.) Community College.

She played at the University of Michigan and served as team captain for the Wolverines as a senior. Gray-Miller graduated from Michigan in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in sociology with a minor in law and criminology. In 1998-1999, Gray-Miller played one season of professional basketball for Olivais Futbol Clube, a first division club team in Coimbra, Portugal. She also played with Athletes in Action for two seasons.