Jerry Lucas memorabilia part of Cincinnati Gardens auction

Cincinnati Gardens was host to The Beatles, Elvis and other great entertainers. It was home to the NBA Cincinnati Royals, college and high school basketball — including Middletown native Jerry Lucas — and four minor league hockey teams.

Now you have a chance to own a part of that history, before the Gardens meets the wrecking ball.

More than 500 items from the historic venue are up for bid in an online auction until 4 p.m. Sunday, our news partner WCPO reports. The sale includes seats, team jerseys, hockey pucks, vintage sports equipment, original ticket stubs and programs.

Among the items up for auction is a Jerry Lucas Player Panel from the Middletown native's playing days with the Cincinnati Royals.

———

MORE: Click here to see all the items up for auction.

———

Many of the auction items were previously on display at The Gardens’ “Legends Museum.”

The items represent a whole era of Cincinnati sports and entertainment history starting in the 1950s, decades before US Bank Arena, the riverfront stadiums and other venues were built.

There is a lot to choose from: bags, trophies, seats, stage lights, pictures, and even the old hockey goal, which is expected to net hundreds.

The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority closed on the sale of the Cincinnati Gardens property last month.

The Port approved a contract June 15 to acquire the iconic property located at 2250 Seymour Ave. in Cincinnati for $1.75 million. Plans for the 19-acre site call for re-purposing for future light manufacturing.

The Gardens hosted the 1966 NBA All-Star Game, which included Wilt Chamberlin, Bill Russell, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas among others.

The Gardens also hosted UC basketball games featuring the Big O prior to his arrival with the Royals, and Middletown High School basketball games featuring Lucas prior to his arrival with Cincinnati’s NBA team.

Lucas played hundreds of games at the Gardens and played his Middletown High regular-season games there against Hamilton in mid-to-late 1950s.

“It was really electric,” Lucas recently told WCPO. “(Fans) came from all over and different states to watch that game. There was a huge amount of interest.”