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January 3, 2005
McDonald's All American Game heading to University of Notre Dame in 2005
- The Golden Arches meet the Golden Dome for annual high school showcase -
OAK BROOK, IL

The University of Notre Dame's history of hosting premier sporting events will continue into next year as the McDonald's Corporation announced that the 2005 McDonald's All American High School Basketball Game will be played at the Edmund P. Joyce Center, home of the Fighting Irish. This is the first time in the history of the McDonald's All American Game that South Bend will host the event and the second time it has been played in the state of Indiana (Indianapolis, 1990).

"We are proud to award this prestigious event to the University of Notre Dame and the McDonald's owner/operators of Northern Indiana," said Mike Donahue, Vice President, McDonald's U.S. Communications. "We couldn't think of a better fit for the McDonald's All American Game than Notre Dame, an institution renowned for both academic and athletic excellence. The pride and tradition of this university and its fans provides the ultimate setting for a game where so much history and so many legends have been made." 

The All American Game is nationally recognized as a showcase for the top high school basketball talent in the country. Annually, 24 boys and 24 girls are selected from a pool of more than 2,500 nominees nationwide. The final teams have the opportunity to become part of the long-standing tradition of the Game, while also raising money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities¨ including the Ronald McDonald Family Rooms in South Bend and Fort Wayne. 

The 28th Annual Boys Game and 4th Annual Girls Game will take place on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 at the Joyce Center, which will allow for nearly 12,000 fans to attend and enjoy the event. 

"We are thrilled to be selected as hosts of the 2005 McDonalds All American Game. Our community is excited about the opportunity to bring this event to Notre Dame, a university with such a strong basketball tradition and heritage, and most importantly, to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities," stated Dave Sparks, McDonald's owner/operator from South Bend, Ind. and chairman of the 2005 Game. 

The McDonald's All American Game has an extensive alumni roster of current and former male and female Notre Dame players, including Chicago Bulls General Manager John Paxson (1979), Ryan Humphrey (1997), Chris Thomas (2001), Courtney LaVere (2002) and Crystal Erwin (2003). Additionally, Torin Francis (2002) received the prestigious McDonald's National High School Basketball Player of the Year award, a recognition given annually to the top scholar-athlete selected to participate in the Game. 

The selection committee chaired by legendary coach Morgan Wootten, retired head coach of DeMartha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, and including renowned UCLA coach, John Wooden, selects the final team members in mid-February. Other notable alumni of the Game include current and former NBA stars Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Vince Carter, Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James; NCAA men's stars Charlie Villanueva, Shannon Brown and Chris Paul; and NCAA women's stars Ivory Latta, Shanna Zolman, Ann Strother and Katie Gearlds. 

Throughout its history, the McDonald's All American Game's primary purpose as a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Charities has been fulfilled along side its ability to showcase high school's top basketball players. Proceeds from the 2005 Game will benefit the Northern Indiana Ronald McDonald House Charities. Previous beneficiaries have included Sickle Cell Anemia Research, the United Negro College Fund and numerous local children's charities. Since the game was first played in 1978, more than $3 million has been raised for charity.

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