Celebrity Autographed SIMON2 Games and SIMON 25th Anniversary Items Draw over 4,900 Bids in Hasbro eBay Charity Auction
Simon Le Bon, Duran Duran Lead Singer, Draws Highest Bid for His Autographed SIMON Game $660
Additional High Bids Garnered for Games Signed By Playwright Neil Simon and "American Idol" Judge Simon Cowell
The world of games changed forever when SIMON, one of the first electronic games, burst on the scene 25 years ago this year. To mark this momentous occasion, Hasbro recently hosted an auction to benefit the children's charity, The National Center for Boundless Playgrounds(R), on eBay featuring exclusive celebrity and anniversary-related SIMON items.
A number of celebrity Simons joined in the SIMON celebration by autographing the two-sided SIMON2 game. The autographed games fetched the highest bids in the auction with Simon Le Bon, the lead singer of Duran Duran, leading the pack with a final bid of $660.00 for his signed SIMON game - 33 times more than the game's average retail price. America's favorite playwright, Neil Simon, fetched $275.00 for his autographed SIMON game, while "American Idol" judge, Simon Cowell drew a final bid of $107.50 for his one-of-a-kind game.
In addition to the signed SIMON games from Le Bon, Simon and Cowell, two NFL players with Simon namesakes donated their autographs for the cause - Corey Simon, Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle and John Simon, Tennessee Titans running back. The auction also featured one SIMON2 game signed by all participating celebrity Simons and 14 SIMON 25th anniversary commemorative tote bags filled with a SIMON2 game (unsigned), a hand-held SIMON game and a SIMON anniversary t-shirt.
As a result of the auction, Hasbro will donate $25,000 to The National Center for Boundless Playgrounds(R), a national, nonprofit organization that works with communities throughout the country to facilitate the development of fully integrated, universally accessible playgrounds for children of all abilities.
"We want to thank the dedicated fans of all Simons, celebrities and game alike, for coming to eBay to help us celebrate the 25th anniversary of this classic electronic game and a great cause," said Mark Stark, vice president of marketing for Hasbro Games. "The auction makes it possible for more children around the country to benefit from the great work that Boundless Playgrounds does to make play accessible to all."
For more information on the SIMON product line and the 25th anniversary, visit www.playsimon.com
