Roslyn resident and Muttontown Country Club member, the late Sandy Zuckerman Rothstein, will be remembered in the new title of the Big Babe Tournament to fight breast cancer. The announcement was made, on Aug. 21, by Beth Sachs, American Cancer Society director of special events, and the Babe Zaharias events on Long Island. The decision was the result of what happened earlier in this year.

When guests entered the dining room of the Muttontown Country Club on July 11, a CD was booming out a song from the thirties: I Found a Million Dollar Baby in the Five and Ten Cents Store! The million dollar baby they were celebrating was the late Sandy Zuckerman Rothstein who brought the Babe Zaharias Tournament to raise money to fight breast cancer, to the Muttontown Country Club golfers.

The need to find a cure for breast cancer was evident, during the Babe Zaharias Kick-off Day events on Tuesday, May 18 at the Glen Head Country Club. While MCing the event, Beth Sachs didn't tell the whole story when she told the golfers that Sandy Zuckerman Rothstein was unable to attend. She knew it was more serious than that. Sandy, a breast cancer survivor of 28 years, had a recurrence of the illness. The prognosis wasn't good, and on Wednesday, May 24, 2000 Sandy died at age 68, at her North Hills home, in Roslyn.

After she recovered from breast cancer, Sandy became a volunteer counselor for the Reach to Recovery program of the American Cancer Society. She spoke to others going through the same experience.

Thinking about what occurred, Beth Sachs was pleased with plans she had made for this year's BZTs. "It was especially meaningful to me," said Beth, "that I had picked the Muttontown Club to have the Big Babe culmination day event for the tournament this year. It is when clubs compete to go on to the national event, at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa in Miami Florida, for the two day tournament with champions from all over the nation competing. Muttontown was Sandy's club. That was the reason why we decided to be there again, on Aug. 21."

At the club luncheon on July 11, more than 135 golfers, were dressed in pink as a symbol of solidarity in support of breast cancer awareness. At lunchtime, the members did a special tribute in memory of Sandy. The players were wowed with motivating and inspirational speeches by Club Director Marj Goldberg as well as by Sandy Zuckerman Rothstein's daughter, who gave a beautiful tribute to her mother. Ellen Slater flew in from Massachusetts for the day.

Marj Goldberg talked about how the Babe Zaharias Tournaments started. "Sandy was the first one to come to us in 1972 and suggest we pay $5 to play a round of golf as a contribution to Babe Zaharias. It was something new in clubs on Long Island. It was a way of involving women in the fight against breast cancer. For many years we paid $5 and then $10.

"It was all started here, by Sandy. She was a survivor for over 25 years encouraging people to support the cause. Sandy was honored by the American Cancer Society at Westbury Music Fair.

"In 1989, they started the Big Babe Tournament. There are many new members at the club and I tried to give them a little history to remember Sandy. She was the guiding force behind the Big Babe too," she said.

"The Big Babe was first held at Bethpage State Park and for several years was played there. Then it branched out into the other clubs.

Marje is very proud of what they have accomplished. "Over the years we have made a million dollars for the fight against breast cancer. This year as we entered the dining room at the Muttontown Club for our luncheon we played the old song I Found a Million Dollar Baby in the Five and Ten Cents Store. Someone tracked it down and sent us a CD.

"Last year the Muttontown Club raised $70,000. The club tournament now includes both men and women, which has helped raise more funds. The men's tournament started two years ago. This year the club raised $100,000. They are expected to be the top fund raisers of the year 2000.

"With the men, women and children-all the clubs on Long Island raised a million dollars last year, 1999. I hope it won't be long before we can say we raised two million," said Marje Goldberg.

She said the talk by Sandy's daughter Ellen Slater, was the highlight of the day. "We all were crying. She talked about how much her mother would have loved the day and how she felt about working with the woman and how we will all miss her. July 11 was Sandy's birthday. We ended with a toast to her," said Marje.

"Channel 55 was there and we have tapes of it. They went out on the golf course and interviewed players and the chairs. There were three co-chairs for the July 11 event: Jackie Sammnick, Sandy Wasserman and Marje Goldberg. "It was a small blurb on the 11 o'clock News," she said.

"We called it the Sandy Zuckerman Rothstein Babe Zaharias Tournament for that day, July 11. Hopefully that will become permanent, but I can't swear to it. The men's chair said the tournament has been renamed, and we are hoping to keep the name. So many of us would like it."

Beth Sachs announced, "We have named the Big Babe Tournament, held Monday Aug. 21, the Sandy Zuckeman Rothstein Big Babe Tournament. Again, both women and men will be competing at the Muttontown club and 'The God Squad' will be there: Rabbi Mark Gelman and Father Tom Hartman, whom Sandy knew so well.

Marge said, "It was really her baby, none of us would know about it without her. She was one of the most vivacious, warm and inspiring people. She inspired others to do things. She was very special," she said.

Sandy's son Edward worked with her on the Big Babe Tournament for several years. He has moved to Florida but was expected here on Aug. 21.

Marje has played golf for many years. "I hate to tell you - 58 years. Since I was little. I had parents who were golfers, so they put a golf club in my hands. My mother played until she was 84. She enjoyed every day. That's what happens with golf, you don't have to quit as you age, you just play a bit slower," she said.

"I watched Babe Zaharias play a lot of years ago in Westchester, in the later years of her career. She was a great athlete and was just wonderful to watch," said Marje.

Marje said she wasn't a natural golfer. She had to learn to play the game.

"When I went to camp there were girls who were wonderful. I struggled. I wanted to play golf and I enjoyed it for many years. I was a fairly good golfer. I played a fair game of tennis."

That same day, July 11, at over 30 golf clubs on Long Island, more than 3,000 women participated in the 28th Annual American Cancer Society's Babe Zaharias Memorial Tournaments. The tournaments are named after "Babe" Didrickson Zaharias who was one of the greatest athletes of her time and who unfortunately succumbed to cancer at the age of 42.

On Monday, Aug. 21, the Muttontown Club hosted qualifying golfers from each local tournament while they competed for a spot in the ACS's National Golf Championship by playing at the Big Babe. The winners of the day go on to compete nationally in Florida.

More than 70 golf and tennis clubs on Long Island participate throughout the summer to support the American Cancer Society's programs in the fight against breast and prostate cancer.