Phillies Phestival raises record amount for ALS

Despite the sluggish economy, a record number of fans raised a record amount of money at yesterday's Phillies Phestival.

The $867,670 collected to combat ALS was more than $100,000 above last year's take, according to the team.

Over 5,500 fans were at Citizens Bank Park, starting late yesterday afternoon, to see World Series-winning players and coaches, play games for prizes, and bid on all sorts of memorabilia in silent and live auctions.

Many fans who paid for special tickets got autographs, while others posed with reliever Brad Lidge, coach Charlie Manuel, outfield Shane Victorino, or the club's two World Series trophies.

Fetching the highest bid of the night - $8,000 - was a set of two baseballs, one signed by the 2008 champs, the other by the 1980 title winners.

A home jersey worn by reliever Ryan Madson in the World Series brought $6,750.

A 100th anniversary edition of a 2003 Harley Davidson Sportster went for $6,000.

That was surprisingly low. Not only was the donated motorcycle unused, the gas tank bears the autographs of the entire 2009 team.

"That's a good deal," said Gary Manndel, sales manager of Barb's Harley Davidson in Mount Ephraim, saying that when new, that model sold for more than $10,000.

The $6,000 is about the book value of a used one without the signatures, he said.

A suite at the ballpark for 30 people, including a visit with the World Series trophy, went for $5,500.

Those were the big items in the live auction, which raised a record $107,600.

Topping the silent auction were the $1,600 for "a Ryan Howard St. Patrick's Day jersey" and the $1,100 for a jersey worn by Chase Utley in this season's home opener.

In 25 years of partnering with the ALS Association, the ballclub has helped raise more than $11 million to fight the degenerative neuromuscular disorder, which is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.