SACRAMENTO, Calif. – USA Track & Field will honor filmmaker Bud Greenspan for his contributions to the sport Wednesday evening (July 19) at the Xerox Century of Champions Salute Dinner, held at the Sacramento Convention Center during a break in the action at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials.

Many of the most illustrious names in Olympic history will be honored at the dinner. Among the legends committed to attend the once-in-a-lifetime event, in addition to Greenspan, are athletes Billy Mills, Evelyn Ashford, Bob Mathias, Bob Richards, Tommie Smith, Wyomia Tyus, Al Oerter, Dick Fosbury, Bob Hayes, Joan Benoit, Valerie Brisco, Jim Hines, Bobby Morrow, Harrison Dillard and Madeline Manning Mims.

Considered the foremost writer/producer/director of sports films and one of the world’s leading sports historians, Greenspan will be honored by USATF “For dedication and service to creating an historical record of track and field’s greatest memories and personalities.”

Greenspan was recently selected to produce the official film for the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympic Games. He was also named the Artistic Director of the Sports Film Series by the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the Olympic Winter Games of 2002.

Sydney 2000 will mark the sixth in a series of Official Olympic Films produced by Greenspan. The first four were on the 1984 Los Angeles, 1988 Calgary, 1994 Lillehammer and 1998 Nagano Olympic Games.

His official film, “Lillehammer ’94: 16 Days of Glory,” aired on The Disney Channel in 1994 and won three Emmy Awards that year for Cinematography, Film Editing and Outstanding Edited Sports Special.

His book, “100 Greatest Moments in Olympic History,” published in November 1995 is in its third printing. He recently completed two more books; “The Olympians Guide to Winning the Game of Life,” released in June 1997, and “Frozen in Time: The Greatest Moments at the Winter Olympics,” released in December 1997. In 1997 he was awarded a George Foster Peabody Award, the broadcast and cable industry’s most prestigious honor, for his lifetime of work.

In 1995, he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Directors Guild of America (DGA). He was also awarded the coveted “Olympic Order” by President Juan Antonio Samaranch and the International Olympic Committee for his contribution to furthering the Olympic movement. Greenspan was the 17th American to receive this award.

Greenspan and his wife, Cappy Petrash Greenspan, who died in 1983, also won Emmy awards for their television series, “The Olympiad,” which is currently available in video cassette through DreamWorks/SKG Television and has been seen in over 80 countries around the world, most recently in the United States on ESPN. Together, Cappy and Bud Greenspan built Cappy Productions into one of the most respected, independent production companies in the world.

The Salute Dinner, featuring a mix of live and video presentations, is designed to salute and recognize the outstanding U.S. track and field champions of the 20th century. The master of ceremonies will be Tom Hammond, the track and field voice for NBC Sports. The Salute Dinner is co-sponsored by Xerox and Sacramento 2000.

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