The IGFA鈥檚 first big fundraiser was held in 1984 in Palm Beach, Florida, and proved to be a highly successful event to help raise funds necessary to help fulfill IGFA鈥檚 mission. A year later, it was moved to The Breakers, a Palm Beach landmark built by the Standard Oil Company magnate Henry Flagler during the early 1900s.
The fundraiser was the idea of Mike Leech, assistant to E.K. Harry. Under Harry, Leech was given the latitude to develop a number of new programs, the first and most successful of which was this fund-raising dinner hastily thrown together in 1984. Despite Harry鈥檚 skepticism, the affair was an overwhelming success and went on to become the IGFA鈥檚 single most productive fund-raising event. Still held annually, the evening brings together a dazzling array of anglers and merchandise from around the world.