An actor's major-league award; a biker's Major League ride
TUTU TO HONOR GLOVER
Who better to present the Desmond Tutu Award than the man himself? Word is that the archbishop emeritus will be in town Oct. 8 to present the eponymous award to actor-activist Danny Glover on behalf of South African Partners, a nonprofit group working to build relations between the United States and South Africa. The event's honorary chairwoman is Barbara Masekela, former chief of staff to Nelson Mandela and sister of jazz trumpeter Hugh Masekela. (She's now South Africa's ambassador to the United States.) Also slated to receive awards are Eli J. Segal, for his efforts to promote citizen service in South Africa through the establishment of City Year's Clinton Democracy Fellowship, and Oprah Winfrey's Angel Network for informing and mobilizing the American public about South Africa's education and health care needs. Lebo M, an original cast member of "The Lion King," is expected to provide the entertainment.
RECAPPING EMMY SUCCESS
There were more than a few Emerson alums at Sunday night's Emmy Awards. Eric Drysdale, a writer for "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," was part of a team that took home one of the coveted statues for prime-time TV. Things didn't go as well for "Will & Grace" executive producer Max Mutchnick, whose show was bested by "Arrested Development," or for Jay Bienstock, co-executive producer of "The Apprentice," which was beaten by "The Amazing Race." Remember guys, it's an honor just to be nominated.
CUTTING OFF TONY
If it looked like James Gandolfini was about to say something after "The Sopranos" won an Emmy the other night, he was. According to the show's producers, the capo was cut off just as he was about to salute an infantry unit in Iraq that named its Bradley fighting vehicle after one of the series' favorite Italian cuss words. Now you know.
HOMEBOY HELPS OUT
Our favorite action hero Matt Damon relaxed with girlfriend Luciana Barroso at a party Sunday for the Sean McDonough Foundation. (The event, benefiting Boston area charities for children, raised a whopping $275,000.) Damon's duties included narrating, with actor Mike O'Malley, a half-hour showabout the foundation that'll be broadcast next month on Fox Sports Net. Yesterday, Damon joined McDonough and well-known jocks Ray Bourque, Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, and Craig James for the celebrity golf challenge in Bolton.
COMINGS AND GOINGS
Former pro wrestler Bruno Sammartino and hometown boxing champ Johnny Ruiz were spotted at Kowloon in Saugus on Sunday night. . . . Comedian Steve Sweeney and Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler are expected behind the mike today in the WZLX studios, chatting up Sunday's first "Motorcycles for Middlesex," an event to benefit the Middlesex Human Service Agency.
FENWAY BOUND
Charlie Hamilton sounded pooped Friday morning when we caught up with him in Norristown, Pa., and well he might be. Hamilton, 40, a software engineer from Provincetown, is nearing the end of a six-month, 11,000-mile bicycle trip to all 30 Major League baseball parks. By the end of the ride, which is slated to conclude Sunday at Fenway Park, Hamilton hopes to have raised $125,000 for the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, which benefits the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Hamilton is riding in honor of Eric Donovan, 15, who is being treated at the Jimmy Fund Clinic for Ewing's sarcoma. "He's a tough kid, and he's been fighting this for a while," Hamilton said. "The things that I complain about, and then I compare it to what he's going through, and there's no comparison." Still, he acknowledged, "I'm ready to go home. I really miss my wife. It's been tough. But the last leg, I'll probably get pumped again." Information about the ride is on Hamilton's website,hitforthecycle.org.Don Aucoin and Jim Sullivan of the Globe staff contributed. Names can be reached at names@globe .com or at 617-929-8253. 
