As both president of the nation?s largest distributor of comic books and owner of an entertainment museum that houses one of the most impressive collections of pop culture in the world, Steve Geppi and his wife, Mindy, were the perfect choices to act as co-chairmen for this year?s St. Joseph Medical Center?s “The Super Ball,” which was held recently at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel.
There were comic-book super-hero appearances by Spider-man, Batman and Wonder Woman (who in real life is St. Joseph?s emergency department chief Gail Cunningham). Stewart Finney, chief of cardiac surgery, got into the act by leaping from a giant “Clark Kent” phone booth to speak on behalf of his fellow co-chairmen Drs. Mark Midei and Steve Pollock.
Urologist Dan Dietrich praised the Heart Institute at St. Joseph?s, where he received five stents after a heart attack last year. “Every one of you is a superhero to me,” he told the crowd of 800.
There was highly competitive live auction, especially for a “Dinner with the Docs” ? an evening of fine cuisine for 10 prepared by Drs. Midei, Finney, Pollock and Alikhan. The initial high bidder was Dr. and Mrs. Michael Schultz, but Dr. Sam Saiedy and his wife, Melanie, refused to be outbid and matched the Schultzes? bid for an additional dinner.
After the auction, guests gathered at the “Bat Cave” for dancing to the music of Doctor?s Orders, with a special appearance by the Kryptonites, which was comprised mostly of St. Joe?s own rock-and-roll docs. Geppi joined Mark Siegelbaum, Frank Catanzariti, Hannah Jacobs and Frank Gunther to wow the crowd with their supersonic performance.
More than $400,000 was raised for the Heart Institute.
PSST! YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST
A little partridge told me that David Cassidy, who was in town for the Preakness, (he owns a race horse), was spotted having lunch at Michael?s in Timonium. Apparently someone shouted, “Look everybody, it?s Danny Partridge!” Oops. David played Keith Partridge, not Danny. That was Danny Bonaduce?s role. Which is funny, because David and Danny are rumored to be feuding. Did David wave back? Nope, he just looked away.
