“This event truly was Joe’s baby, and we’re carrying on a legacy that he created 37 years ago that’s done so much good in our community,” said Nuxhall Foundation Executive Director Tyler Bradshaw. “So starting this scholarship backing the ‘80s was a really wise thing for him to do. His favorite day on the calendar every single year was this golf outing, and it’s been good to be able to carry on that tradition in his memory.”
In the annual Joe Nuxhall Memorial Golf Outing’s 37th year, a record 37 foursomes will tee off at the Elks Golf Club in Hamilton. The Elks has been the only location for the golf outing since its inception in 1985. In the outing’s first three years, it raised money for the March of Dimes. But Nuxhall changed the mission to create the scholarship that’s been one of his several legacies.
Nuxhall died from complications of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at 79 in November 2007.
“This event is the one that was so special to Dad,” said Kim Nuxhall, president and board chairman of The Nuxhall Foundation. “Dad was a true golf addict, but it wasn’t just because of the game. He liked spending time on the course with his buddies, and he also loved giving back to the community that gave so much to him.”
Kim Nuxhall said his dad “loved this outing” because of what it accomplished.
“He would be so happy to see that the outing has continued and is doing so much good in his hometown,” he said. “Dad knew how truly fortunate he was with all that was bestowed upon him, but in the back of his mind he always would have liked to have had a college education.”
The outing will feature many local celebrities, and for the first time since 2007, a current Cincinnati Red ― catcher Tyler Stephenson ― is scheduled to participate in the June 20 event.
“We’re excited to have him,” said Bradshaw, adding the Ol’ Lefthander’s former Reds broadcast partner Marty Brennaman will not be attending due to a scheduling conflict.
Other notable former Reds players are scheduled to play, including manager Dave Miley, pitchers Sam LeCure and Scott Williamson, and catcher Corky Miller, who is the Reds’ minor league catching coordinator. Badin High School alum and former MLB manager Jim Tracy.
Though the outing is sold out, support can still be given through sponsorships, Bradshaw said.
The golf outing will top $1 million distributed in the next few years, a milestone number for the legacy project for the Nuxhall Foundation. Since the start of the scholarship fund, the annual golf outing has funded $900,000 worth of scholarships to graduating students from the 14 Butler County high schools.
The scholarship is in a good position that hopefully in the next two to three years, the scholarship fund will go from handing out $2,000 to all 14 Butler County high schools to $3,000.
“It doesn’t sound like much for each scholarship, but it’s a big deal for us because we’ll go from distributing $28,000 a year to $42,000,” said Bradshaw. “In order to get there in the next couple of years, we’ve got to have really strong outings with lots of great corporate sponsorships and lots of participation, but we’re on track to do it.”
After the outing, there will be an auction to support the scholarship fund, and items include signed jerseys from Bengals QB Joe Burrow and WR Ja’Maar Chase, a signed bat by former Reds pitcher Jose Rijo, and a trip to Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Ed Hartman, known for his Furniture Fair commercials with former Bengal Anthony Munoz, is again the chairperson of the Nuxhall Golf Outing.
“Joe’s fingerprints are all over this outing, the scholarship, and every single project carried forward by The Nuxhall Foundation,” Hartman said. “Whenever I work on this outing, I can feel Joe’s arms around us giving us a big hug and pushing us forward. That’s who he was in this life, and that’s the kind of power his legacy has inspired.”
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