By Michael D. Clark
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MIDDLETOWN - The Cincinnati Bengals' new head coach and a nationally known college basketball TV analyst will headline Middletown's annual Pigskin-Roundball Spectacular Wednesday evening.

IF YOU GO

• Middletown's annual Pigskin-Roundball Spectacular dinner will begin 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Manchester Inn at 1027 Manchester Avenue with cocktails at 5 p.m. and dinner and ceremonies beginning at 6 p.m. • Tickets for individuals are $60 each or a table of eight for $480. Proceeds from the dinner go to local and national sports programs including Middletown Junior Achievement and Middletown Special Olympics. • For more information, call the Middletown Athletic Department at (513) 420-4515 or Tom Dowden at (513) 891-4430, ext. 238.

The event, which will feature speeches by Bengals coach Marvin Lewis and former Notre Dame basketball coach Richard "Digger" Phelps, raises money for a variety of local and national charities and is expected to draw hundreds of Middletown sports fans.

Tom Dowden, president of the event, said the fund-raising dinner also will feature the induction of Middletown sport legends Jack Gordon, Shelby Linville and Bill Conley into the Middletown Gold Medal Club. Gordon coached the Middletown Middies football team for two decades while Linville is a former Ohio Basketball Player of the Year and a member of the 1951 University of Kentucky national championship team. Conley is a former Middletown football assistant coach who is now an assistant - and recruiting coordinator _ under Ohio State University football coach Jim Tressel.

E-mail mclark@enquirer.com