Ohio is known as the birthplace of aviation, rock 'n' roll and professional football. The pigskin part of the equation started in Canton when the American Professional Football Association formed in 1920, later to become known as a little thing called the NFL. (Ever heard of it?) The city also boasts football's first dynasty, the Canton Bulldogs, which won league titles in 1922 and 1923.
Image © Pro Football Hall of Fame
All of this makes Canton the obvious choice for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which opened in 1963 and offers multimedia-heavy exhibits spanning more than 100 years of football history. Museum spotlights include the Vince Lombardi Trophy, a massive sports card collection and the Black College Football Hall of Fame. In addition, the holographic "A Game for Life" theatre presentation features the game's biggest icons doling out inspirational advice. (Oh, hey, Joe Namath!)
Image © Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Hall of Fame Gallery—which displays bronze busts of every inductee—is the museum's most famous and awe-inspiring exhibit . By the end of 2021, this space will include all the members of the Hall's newest classes (such as quarterbacking – and commercial acting – legend Peyton Manning).
Image © Pro Football Hall of Fame
Fans can toast to these icons at August's Enshrinement Festival, a weeklong-plus events series encompassing concerts, outdoor events and the vaunted Gold Jacket Ceremony. It’s also a great chance to revel in the area's ongoing expansion, most notably the renovated Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium and new Centennial Plaza.
Image © Pro Football Hall of Fame
LEGENDS OF THE LAND
These Cleveland Browns Hall of Famers have been hailed for reaching gridiron glory:
Otto Graham
(1946-1955)
Class of 1965
|
Paul Brown
(1946-1962)
Class of 1967
|
Marion Motley
(1946-1953)
Class of 1968
|
Jim Brown
(1957-1965)
Class of 1971
|
Lou Groza
(1946-1959, 1961-1967)
Class of 1974
|
Dante Lavelli
(1946-1956)
Class of 1975
|
Len Ford
(1950-1957)
Class of 1976
|
Bill Willis
(1946-1953)
Class of 1977
|
Bobby Mitchell
(1958-1961)
Class of 1983
|
Paul Warfield
(1964-1969, 1976-1977)
Class of 1983
|
Mike McCormack
(1954-1962)
Class of 1984
|
Frank Gatski
(1946-1956)
Class of 1985
|
Leroy Kelly
(1964-1973)
Class of 1994
|
Ozzie Newsome
(1978-1990)
Class of 1999
|
Joe DeLamielleure
(1980-1984)
Class of 2003
|
Gene Hickerson
(1958-1973)
Class of 2007
|
Mac Speedie
(1946-1952)
Class of 2020
|
|