Some call it the greatest catch in Super Bowl history, perhaps ever. It was the catch that won Super Bowl XLIII for the Steelers and helped Santonio Holmes earn the Super Bowl MVP. Some Steelers fans refer to it as the "Immaculate Catch," a play on the Immaculate Reception of the 1970s, a play that almost every true Steelers fans knows about. The Immaculate Catch dominated the media the next day and will forever haunt the Arizona Cardinals.
So how much will a Steelers fan pay to own Santonio's magic gloves, the ones he was wearing when he caught the Immaculate Catch? $100? $1,000? 5,000? 50,000? Apparently, the economy isn't affecting everyone, because one heavy spender bought them for $70,200!
Of course, all proceeds go to charity. The winning charity is Sickle Cell Disease Assn. of America, a disease that Santonio the III, Holmes's 6-year-old son, has. It is a life-long blood disorder when all a person's red blood cells get an odd, rigid, sickle shape. This disease brings a person's life expectancy to 42 (males) and 48 (females). 1 in 5,000 in the US have the disease, affecting mostly African-Americans.
Holmes said with pride, "I'm so happy that I was able to help the Sickle Cell Disease Assn. of America, going on television and radio to talk about the devastating effects of the disease and raising such a fantastic sum of money to help other families. It is difficult for me to see my son struggle with the disease and I hope that the money from this auction can help other families."
Dr. Willarda V. Edwards, President and Chief Operating Officer of Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. said of the auction, "Santonio has proven to be a great messenger in getting the word out and enhancing awareness of sickle cell disease. This auction and his willingness to publicize it through various media interviews shows that he really cares about making the world a better place for those affected by the disease. We will be using every cent of that $70,200 to continue our commitment to enhance the lives of those families and individuals affected by the disease as we seek a cure."
The auction began Thursday, Feb. 5th and ended at 9:59 p.m. ET, Feb. 15th, exactly two weeks after Holmes' Super Bowl-clinching reception. There were 163 bids. Now, Santonio really has everything: a ring, a trophy, and more hope for his son.
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