They’re No Hit in N.Y. : Auction: Star attraction at Christie’s--a 1937 home jersey worn by Lou Gehrig--fails to receive even the minimum opening bid.

Somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright. Baseball’s down in Georgia, and Southern hearts are light. And Blue Jay crowds are happy, and fans all over shout. But there is no joy in Collectorville, Mighty Christie’s has struck out!

The famed Park Avenue auction house billed it as the finest of sports memorabilia sales, with baseball bats, cards and gloves galore. But the star attraction--a 1937 home jersey worn by immortal Yankee first baseman Lou Gehrig--failed to fetch even the $200,000 minimum opening bid.

“Times are tough. Everybody realizes that,” said Christie’s spokesman Todd Merrill.

Gehrig had plenty of company. A crowd of about 150 bidders also passed on a 1951 World Series road uniform worn by Yankee center fielder Joe DiMaggio. And although other sporting collectibles went unsold, there were enough sales to keep the auction house, fans and a few collectors happy.

How about a painting of Jackie Robinson’s 1953 Topps baseball card? It went for $900. A 128-card set of 1954 football cards, featuring New York Giant Hall of Famer Frank Gifford, brought $850.

And a 1910 Honus Wagner baseball card, among the fewer than 40 known to exist, sold for $77,000.

The tweeds and hushed tones usually associated with Christie’s auctions were replaced by team jackets, sneakers and out and out rooting.

For George Jaramillo, 21, and Gerard Olivencia, 18, baseball fans and friends from Queens, just being there was enough.

Of course not everyone saw it the same way. Mel Jonas, a Hungarian native who came to Christie’s to view a jewelry collection, was puzzled when he wandered into the sports auction.

“What are they selling, stamps?” asked Jonas.

Told that the action featured baseball cards going for thousands of dollars, the East Side attorney shook his head and said, “Only in America.”