Senators' auction raises $40,000

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Sports fans from across the area bid early and often Saturday at the UCP Sports Memorabilia Auction on City Island. The 22nd annual event raised approximately $40,000 to benefit United Cerebral Palsy of Central Pennsylvania.

A huge autographed poster featuring members of baseball's 500 Home Run Club fetched the highest bid of the day, drawing $5,000.

Harrisburg Senators manager John Stearns, a four-time National League All-Star, proved to be quite the auctioneer. He took the podium to auction a broken car window and a baseball signed by Senators outfielder Justin Maxwell. Bids started low, but by the time Stearns had finished, he autographed a ball and threw it into the package and the three items sold for a total of $1,000. The window came from an abc27 news vehicle that was parked a bit too close to the field at Commerce Bank Park. Maxwell fouled a ball down the right-field line, shattering the window and making it a valuable piece of sports memorabilia.

In all, more than 200 items were auctioned. The top five were:

1. Autographed 500 Home Run Club poster with additional autographed cards, $5,000
2. Justin Maxwell autographed broken car window with Maxwell autographed ball and John Stearns autographed ball, $1,000
3. Autographed Tiger Woods photo, $800
4. Autographed Michael Jordan photo, $600
5. Muhammad Ali lithograph, $575

The auction was held at the Carousel Pavilion at Commerce Bank Park.