Actor fights Princeton's Newman's Day

PRINCETON, N.J., April 24 (UPI) -- Paul Newman hopes to end a Princeton University tradition named after him in which students attempt to drink a case of 24 beers at the rate of one an hour on April 24.

The movie star and gourmet-food king denies the saying behind Newman's Day" -- "Twenty-four beers in a case, 24 hours in a day. Concidence? I think not." In a letter to the university, lawyer Leo Nevas told Princeton officials that Newman "is disturbed by the use of his name in conjunction with this alcohol-related event," the Times of Trenton reported.

Since losing a son to a drug overdose, Newman has crusaded against substance abuse. In the letter, Nevas said the actor at least hopes that his name will not be tied to a drinking contest if students persist in the tradition.

The university does not sanction or endorse Newman's Day, when some students have been known to drink on the sly in class to keep to the schedule.