Parents Ponying Up to Pad Kids' College Resumes Is a Gala Thing

It would have been a tempting possibility on any night for this crowd, who were gathered to support Randall’s Island Park Alliance, the nonprofit that helps maintain the soccer and ball fields their children and so many of New York City’s adult leagues play on.

But a day after a college admissions scandal came to light, exposing how some parents arranged to pass off their kids as athletes to help them get into college -- well, let’s just say the auctioneer recognized an opportunity to let some high-achieving soccer moms and dads blow off steam.