Santonio Holmes' Super Bowl gloves in charity auction

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes is auctioning the gloves he wore when he caught the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII to benefit a charity that is close to his heart.

All proceeds from the auction will benefit the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Inc. As mentioned to Jay Leno during Holmes' appearance on The Tonight Show, the football star's 6-year-old son, Santonio III, has the blood disease, for which there are treatments but no widely available cure.

Dr. Willarda Edwards, president of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, thanked Holmes and says the gesture will raise awareness of the disease.

The auction started Thursday and runs through Feb. 15 at Reebok's Web site. Reebok made the gloves, which are personally autographed by Santonio Holmes. The history-making gloves were made with Reebok's trademarked Griptonite technology. These types of Reebok gloves are a favorite of NFL receivers because they are lightweight and feature a seamless construction for a perfect fit.

As of Feb. 16, the top bid on the gloves that enabled what has become known within the sports media as "the immaculate reception" was $16,000. There is a "buy now" price of $1 million.

Learn more about the auction or bid online at www.reebok.com.

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Catherine Saunders-Watson of Auction Central News International contributed to this report.

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