Cattle Baron’s Big Move is a $2.5 Million Home Run of a Night — When Minute Maid Park Turns Into a Society Playground

What: Victory‘s Cattle Baron’s Ball benefiting the American Cancer Society

Where: Minute Maid Park

PC Moment: No dirt underfoot, no muddy parking lots, no port-a-potties. Ah, the beauties of the Cattle Baron’s Ball move from the George Ranch, where it had been held since inception 35 years ago, to the air conditioned and cushy (by comparison) surroundings of Houston’s Major League baseball stadium.

And, indeed, this night was a home run on so many levels, most significantly the record proceeds of $2.5 million. Applause, applause to chairs Sara Parr and Disney Harris who orchestrated the change of venue which was widely praised by the 1,200 partygoers. To date, the all volunteer ladies of Victory have raised close to $60,000,000 for the American Cancer Society through the Cattle Baron’s Ball and the popular Holiday Card.

Of course, the popular casino games and pig races were retained. New to the party were the high-kicking Kilgore “Beauty Knows No Pain” Rangerettes, a champagne aerialist, Nashville recording artist Julia Cole singing the national anthem and Big Tex on stilts.

In another first, Berg Hospitality handled the Cattle Baron’s Ball catering with a taste-tempting food stations that included an international array of goodies ranging from dim sum dumplings to chicken fried steak with gravy and hush puppies, tacos, empanadas, all manner of barbecue and sides and a Bayou City Cajun station. The latter featured jambalaya, gumbo, crawfish and bread pudding for dessert.

It was a grand show for the company’s catering expertise. We’ll have another serving of those s’mores sundaes.

Also new to the party was Texas Oncology as presenting sponsor.

Highlight of the evening was the performance by Lady A ,which kept the crowd swaying to favorites such as “Just a Kiss” and “Need You Now.”

PC Seen: Emcees Derrick Shore and Courtney Zavala of KPRC Channel 2, American Cancer Society CEO Karen Knudson in from headquarters in Atlanta, ACS Texas EVP Jeff Fehlis, Hannah and Cal McNair, Bobbie Nau and Marc Grossberg, Jessica and Phillip Meyer, Ed McMahon, Jen and Matthew Harbison, Jenny and Matthew Todd, Patti and Don Murphy, Ellie and Michael Francisco, Susie and Paul Gold, and Robin and Danny Klaes.