Honorees:

• William S. Beinecke `36
• Roland W. Betts `68
• Edgar M. Cullman `40
• Kristaps Jurriss Keggi, M.D. `55
• Susan D. Wellington `81

 NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Yale Athletic Department honored the recipients of the 2005 George H.W. Bush Lifetime of Leadership Awards tonight at the Blue Leadership Ball at the William K. Lanman Center inside Payne Whitney Gymnasium with over 700 in attendance.

The class of 2005 Bush Award winners included: William S. Beinecke `36, the former chairman of the board for The Sperry & Hutchinson Company and an ex-Yale football player; former Bulldog hockey player Roland W. Betts `68, a member of the Yale Corporation who was the majority owner of the Texas Rangers Baseball Club and is currently chairman of Chelsea Piers L.P; Edgar M. Cullman `40, former chairman of General Cigar and a managing partner of Culbro Corporation; Kristaps Jurriss Keggi, M.D. `55, a Yale fencer who became one of the world's most renowned orthopedic surgeons and teaches at Yale; and Susan D. Wellington `81, an All-American swimmer who became president of U.S. Beverage, the Quaker Oats Company division of Pepsi.

The honorees and their families had a special reception in the Kiphuth Trophy Room of Payne Whitney Gym. While the special reception took place, a cocktail party for the guests took place on the first floor with the talented musician Jeff Fuller entertaining the crowd. His band played March On Down The Field when it was time for everyone to move inside the Lanman Center for the dinner. Another band, Eight To The Bar, handled the rest of the night's music.

Yale Athletics Director Tom Beckett welcomed everyone and introduced the master of ceremonies, Jack Ford. Ford, who has served in this role for all three BLBs, read a letter from George W. Bush and was dynamic and effervescent in his role.

Meghan McMahon, the chair of the BLB Committee, the former All-Ivy Yale tennis player and Bulldog head coach, was introduced by Ford and gave an eloquent speech that summed up the spirit and goal of the event.

"Athletics is a lab for leadership. This event stands for everything that's great about this university," said Yale President Richard Levin, who highlighted Yale's success this fall while at the podium.

The athletic department recognizes Yale University alumni athletes who in their lives after Yale have successfully satisfied the leadership needs of their professions and their countries. A broadly representative alumni honors committee selected five honorees who exemplify Yale's rich athletic heritage as an important component of the undergraduate educational experience.

Report filed by Steve Conn, Yale Assistant AD and Sports Publicity Director