Cigar Aficionado’s $1.8 Million Charity Dinner Brings Out Sports Stars

Ray Lewis, he of the hulking biceps and two Super Bowl rings, stood at the front of the room, a cigar clamped in his huge hands. Standing next to him were Carmelo Anthony, star of the New York Knicks, former New York Yankee Gary Sheffield, who hit more than 500 home runs in his career, and John Salley, who won four NBA titles during his playing days. Lewis spoke about learning the art of smoking cigars from his grandfather.

“He said, ‘When you understand why I smoke cigars, you’ll understand what it means to be a man,’“ said Lewis. “After he passed away, I lit up a cigar and now I understand what he meant.” The sports stars had gathered for charity, the 22nd annual Night to Remember, created by Cigar Aficionado editor and publisher Marvin R. Shanken. The event raised $1.8 million for the Prostate Cancer Foundation and set a new benchmark for charity with a single bottle of wine.

With Shanken commanding the podium at New York’s iconic Four Seasons Restaurant, he opened the bidding on five bottles of mystery wines. Without knowing the contents of what was inside (and understanding they would have to share the wine that night with their tablemates) the audience bid heavily, and each sold for $60,000 or more. In the case of the final bottle, much, much more.

After bottles of top-tier Port and Bordeaux were revealed, Shanken brought out the fifth and final bottle. It was bought and redonated, again and again, until the total hit an outstanding $510,000. It was a record for the event, more than any other bottle has ever raised.

More auction items followed, which were bid upon by the tuxedo-clad crowd of 230, and brought in hundreds of thousands more. The auction lots were exquisite, tastes of the very finest things in life, including trips to Cuba, Scotland and the Dominican Republic, collections of rare whiskeys and classic wines, humidors brimming with rare cigars (some of them Cuban) and a mystery box packed with extras, including the keys to a new car lease and a ride on a private jet.

Over the years this dinner has raised more than $20 million for prostate cancer research.

Foundation founder Michael Milken spoke about the direct effect of the money raised from the dinner. “In the last 20 years, 80 percent of people with prostate cancer, more than 1.6 million men, are still alive due to advances in prostate cancer research,” he said. “I am one of them and I thank you all.”

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