Julie McCombs
Chris and Sandra Tapp offered the winning bid of $430 for an autographed Greer Yellow Jackets football helmet.
Jim Fair
Chris Tapp points to the signature of his son, Adam, on the helmet.
Julie McCombs
Judy Tipton matched Chris Tapp, bid for bid, in the most entertaining bidding at Big Thursday during the live auction.
Julie McCombs
Carl Howell, a graduate of Greer High School, couldn't resist wearing the helmet throughout the bid process. Howell is the deputy fire marshall for the Greer Fire Department.
Tapp and his wife, Sandra, bid $430 for the helmet and an accompanying jersey No. 52. It was third highest bid for an item.
The highest bid was $1,100 for a concrete pad and second highest was $950 for a 4-night Fripp Island getaway that required an $800 minimum. Proceeds from the 35th annual Big Thursday benefit Greer Community Ministries.
“My son (Adam) said he would like the helmet,” so we wanted to get it for him,” Chris said. “I wouldn’t have gone much higher in the bidding.”
Sandra Tapp said she was going to signal Chris to end their bid at $500.
“I never looked over who I was bidding against,” Chris Tapp said. “Your heart gets racing a little when bidding but I go to auctions frequently and am used to it.”
Tipton, grandmother of defensive back, Jackson, didn’t begin to slow in the process until the bid reached $375. She cautiously kept pace until the final bid.
The Tapps are hoping they can get their son’s jersey number, 76, to replace the jersey presented. Garrett Poole is No. 52 for Greer.
Greer's helmet took added significance when the Yellow Jackets completed their regular season unbeaten at 10-0. Should Greer win the state championship and go 15-0, it will be only the third time in school history that feat has been done.
An autographed Blue Ridge High School football helmet was auctioned for $50.