Ben Affleck and LeBron James Set to Present Two Top Awards at The 2013 ESPYS on July 17
Ben Affleck and LeBron James have been confirmed as presenters of the Jimmy V Perseverance Award and the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at The 2013 ESPYS Presented by Capital One. Affleck and James will join host Jon Hamm at the 21st annual celebration of the best moments from the year in sports being televised LIVE from Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on Wednesday, July 17, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN HD.
Ben Affleck, a proud Boston native, will present the Jimmy V Perseverance Award to Dick and Rick Hoyt, a father and son team, known at Team Hoyt, who have been participating in races together for more than 30 years. Rick, now 51, was born with cerebral palsy and though unable to use his hands or legs he and his 73-year-old father have run in more than 1,000 endurance events - including triathlons and marathons - with Dick pushing his son in a custom-made running chair. This past Boston Marathon was to be their last marathon but Team Hoyt was one mile away from finishing when tragedy struck so they have vowed to run again next year, demonstrating their determination in the face of adversity.
LeBron James will present the Arthur Ashe Courage Award to Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts. Roberts, who is in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, was a high school basketball star in Mississippi and then went on to play four seasons for the Lady Lions basketball team at Southeastern Louisiana University, ranking among the team's leaders for points scored, rebounds, field goals made and games played. Roberts has blazed a trail for women in broadcasting, but it is also her personal journey that has served as an inspiration to countless people as she has overcome life-threatening illnesses twice. The Arthur Ashe Courage Award will recognize the strength and courage Roberts has displayed throughout her life and career.
The ESPYS gather top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. The 2013 ESPYS marks the show's 21st telecast and will recognize both sport-specific achievements, such as "Best MLB Player" and "Best WNBA Player," and best-in-sport winners, such as "Best Team" or "Best Female Athlete" that pit nominees from different sports against each other. The ESPYS honor ESPN's commitment to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a partnership launched with the late Jim Valvano at the inaugural ESPYS in 1993.
Sports fans can follow The 2013 ESPYS on Twitter @ESPYS and should tag @ESPYS each time they mention the 'ESPYS' to ensure their status updates are connected to the show. A limited amount of ESPYs tickets are available for public purchase at www.axs.com.
The 2013 ESPYS are Presented by Capital One and associate sponsors include, in alphabetical order: 20th Century Fox, Asics, Beats(TM) by Dr. Dre, Depend, Gatorade, GMC, Hennessey V.S., Miller64, Old Spice, Unilever Clear, VIZIO and Xbox. GMC will serve as presenting sponsor of ESPN's Tuesday night BODY at ESPYS pre-party and Miller64 returns as presenting sponsor of the official ESPYS Post Party.
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