Jan. 27, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; - If you have ever wondered what it's like to see through the eyes of Penn State's legendary football coach, this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is for you.
A pair of Coach Joe Paterno's iconic dark-rimmed glasses, which have been autographed by "JoePa," will be awarded to the highest bidder as part of Penn State Public Broadcasting's 18th Annual Connoisseur's Dinner and Auction on Feb. 20. This is the first pair of the Coach's glasses ever given to a charitable auction.
The online auction at http://wpsu.org/auction, begins Feb. 1, and runs until Feb. 17 at noon. The bidding will conclude in a live auction during the Connoisseur's Dinner. The highest on-line bidder for the spectacles may choose to set a maximum bid which will be proxy-bid by a WPSU representative during the live auction. Complete rules and regulations are available at the auction web site.
Joe and Sue Paterno donated the eyeglasses to WPSU's Connoisseur's Dinner and Auction because they have been generous supporters of Penn State Public Broadcasting for many years.
Coach Paterno has been wearing his signature spectacles since he began as head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lion Football Team in 1966. Since then, his vision for the Penn State football program has allowed him to become major college football's winningest coach with a record of 394-129-3.
His thick-lensed blinkers, cuffed khaki pants and black sneakers are part of the trademark style of the legendary coach - so much so that sports fans can't imagine Paterno presenting himself any other way.
In the past, WPSU has auctioned off additional Paterno sports memorabilia, including the coach's autographed khaki pants, white socks, sneakers and neckties from several Bowl games.
The 18th Annual Connoisseur's Dinner and Auction, hosted by PBS Master Chef Martin Yan, will celebrate Chinese New Year with the savory flavors and essential textures of the Far East, and will also support public broadcasting. This benefit dinner for WPSU-TV will begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20 at the Nittany Lion Inn in State College.
Tickets for the fundraising gala can be purchased at www.wpsu.org/conndinner online.
Penn State Public Broadcasting (PSPB) serves Central Pennsylvania with programming, educational services and community outreach. This public media service produces, acquires, and distributes programs that address local interests and reflect the diverse cultural, political, geographic and demographic characteristics of an audience within central Pennsylvania. For more information, visit http://wpsu.org/ online.