'Pirates Charities on ROOT SPORTS Auction' raises more than $715,000 for charity

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Pirates Charities, in conjunction with ROOT SPORTS, are pleased to announce the eighth annual "Pirates Charities on ROOT SPORTS Auction" raised a record of more than $715,000.

All proceeds from this year's auction will go to Pirates Charities and three non-profit organizations that support ALS patients and their families, and are committed to finding a cure for the disease. The three organizations that will be supported by the 2015 "Pirates Charities on ROOT SPORTS Auction" are the ALS Certified Center of Excellence at AHN (Allegheny Health Network), The ALS Association/Western Pennsylvania Chapter, and LiveLikeLou.org.

ALS is a neurological disorder characterized by progressive degeneration of motor neuron cells in the spinal cord and brain. Life expectancy for those diagnosed with ALS is normally three to five years. Most people know the disease as "Lou Gehrig's Disease" named after the baseball legend who died from the disease in 1941.

The auction took place on Tuesday, August 4 as ROOT SPORTS broadcasted this year's on-air auction during the evening's game live from the Rivertowne Brewing Hall of Fame Club inside PNC Park. During the event, the Pirates sold more than 3,000 available Pirates Charities/ROOT SPORTS VIP and VIP-PLUS Bags that included a baseball autographed by an individual Pirates player, a baseball autographed by a Pirates alumni, an exclusive specially designed Pirates Ice Bucket Challenge tee, a ticket voucher good for 2 tickets to for a Pirates baseball game, a Pirates 1971 throwback cap and a commemorative Pirates glass set and more. The VIP-PLUS Bags also included an authentic Pirates home white or black alternate game jersey autographed by their favorite player.

Fans also had the opportunity to purchase a spot in the Pirates Team Ice Bucket Challenge-- a once-in-a-lifetime event to take place immediately following the Pirates game on Sunday, August 30. Each exclusive package includes a VIP PLUS bag and the chance to have a Pirates player or Clint Hurdle douse you with a bucket of ice water during the Pirates Team Ice Bucket Challenge at PNC Park.