HSSTM Hits Ohio

When HSSTM made the trip from Tulsa to Ohio to watch Union play Canton McKinley in Canton Ohio, a visit to the Hall of Fame was a must. The Hall of Fame sits on the edge of highway 70 and right next to Fawcett Stadium where the Hall of Fame game is played every year. It's also home to the McKinley Bulldogs. But the Hall of Fame, for many football fans, is the mecca of professional football.

When you walk up the steps to the front doors you can fell a vibe coming from within the building. You know something special is inside. Maybe it's like meeting your favorite football player or going to a big game, whatever it is the Hall of Fame has it.

Jason Aikens is Collection Curator and he gave us a little insight on how the Hall of Fame gets these priceless items to display. "Most of the items we get come from teams or players making donations. Some of the things you see were donated and some we asked for. It's important for us to have items that mean something to the history of the game."

From the early days of pro football when Jim Thorpe started a professional football league in Canton to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts winning the Super Bowl, everything you can imagine is there for you to see. But according to Aikens you're only seeing about 5% of what the Hall has to offer. "When you come to the Hall of Fame you see about 5% of what we have to show. 95% of our collections are stored in the basement. We also loan displays to other museums and teams to display at their stadium. We also set up a big display during the week of the Super Bowl."

The Hall of Fame has approximately 200,000 visitors a year. They change displays and keep a fresh look for returning fans. But if money's no object and avoiding the crowds is important to you, renting the Hall of Fame is always an option.

Our advice to fans who want to make the pilgrimage is this; wear your team's colors, take your time and get your picture taken next to the bust of your favorite player. Besides, it's the Hall of Fame and that's what you're supposed to do.