What do most people think of when a hall of fame is mentioned? Many think of museums dedicated to honor people who have contributed to area. What do most people think of when college football is mentioned? Most thoughts are about rivalries, teams, stadiums, last-second wins, traditions, bands, bowl games, and champions.
The College football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., gives visitors the best of both worlds by honoring the legends of the game and by giving football fans the feeling that “every day is Saturday.”
The College Football Hall of Fame is the creation and ongoing commitment of The National Football Foundation. The world-class museum honors more than 800 players and coaches whose careers have exemplified the foundation’s basic creed of scholarship citizenship and performance.
To further its mission, the National Football Foundation and its 119 chapters nationwide is also involved in important activities such as its 54 year-old National Scholar-Athlete Awards, PLAY IT SMART, and the NFL/NFF Coaching Academy. These programs provide scholarships for college football student-athletes going on to college; teach important life skills to inner-city football players; and establish resources and standards that football programs across the nation can utilize in recruiting, selecting, and maintaining coaching staffs.
“Through a nationwide network of 119 chapters and over 13,000 members, The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame strives to promote the value of amateur football and its positive role in developing strong qualities of leadership, commitment and excellence,” said NFF President Bob Casciola.
“At the Hall of Fame we try to honor and recognize all aspects of a college football Saturday,” Hall of Fame Executive Director Bernie Kish said about 58,000 square foot facility. “Although our focus is college football and its legends, visitors will find that our goal is to highlight the complete story of the game and the amateur football experience. In addition to our permanent exhibits, changing displays make each visit to the Hall unique.”
Sportswriters and fans comment on their visit like Phil Hamilton who wrote in the Hall’s register, “This is the 10th time I have visited, and it never grows old.
Upon descending a 100-yard ramp, fans enter a cornucopia of college football history and excitement.
The “kickoff” to the museum is the Stadium Theater, a 360-degree multi-media presentation, designed to show every aspect of a college football Saturday on campuses nationwide.
After the adrenaline is flowing, visitors enter the Hall of Champions, where the exhibit brings together the Stadium Theater presentation and the stories of the over 800 Hall of Famers.
The “Great Rivalries” exhibit brings to life the stories and shows memorabilia of the premier backyard battles and border wars.
“Media Covering the Game” highlights broadcasters and writers and how they apply their crafts. Visitors even have the opportunity to test their broadcasting skills with Keith Jackson in the “You Call the Play” booth.
Now it is on to how the game was and is played. Covering officiating, rules changes, equipment, and field surfaces, this set of exhibits shows fans how the game was played before helmets, facemasks, and Astroturf.
For those with the coaching bug, the “Locker Room” honors the exemplary teachers of the game as Eddie Robinson, John McKay and Darrell Royal come together for a documentary on coaching philosophy.
Both children and adults are guaranteed to have fun in the Hall’s Graining Center. It is in this interactive area that fans can compare their passing, running and kicking skills.
“Pigskin Pageantry” offers visitors the sights and sounds of Saturday without having to endure the autumn weather. College football’s prominent mascots, bands, and traditions are pictured along with the sounds of the greatest fight songs.
As you hit the homestretch of the museum, you will see the postseason and its splendors on display. The national champions and award winners from each division along with the bowl games are recognized.
“I did not want to leave,” Steve Bishchoff of the Orange County Register (Calif.) said after visiting the Hall. “The Hall has more great memorabilia and more interactive displays than any sports museum I have ever seen.”
Enjoying the Hall of Fame is not limited to the museum itself. The College Football Hall of Fame offers a year-round schedule of event to please all fans.
The first half of the year features the Gridiron Legends Luncheon Series, which invites the top names in college football to talk about the game they love.
The Hall’s trademark event is its annual Enshrinement Festival. Every August at this two-day event, college football’s legends are permanently enshrined into the Hall of Fame.
The weekend begins with a Mayor’s Breakfast and a golf scramble, in which participants are paired with a college football celebrity. The following day, the Fan Fest offers fans the opportunity to get up close and personal with the Hall of Famers. After a public press conference and autograph session, the Hall of Famers hit the Gridiron Plaza for a youth clinic and a game of flag football. The weekend culminates with the Enshrinement Reception and Banquet.
Once the football season kicks into gear, the opportunities to see today’s stars are endless. Since the Hall’s 1995 grand opening in South Bend, over 60 teams from all division of college football have visited. The Hall of Fame Press Box and Gridiron Plaza make it possible for such events to happen. The Press Box is ideal for receptions, parties, luncheons, and business meetings of up to 400 people. The Gridiron Plaza, the Hall’s miniature football field, has hosted alumni receptions of up to 1,500 people.
An article in the San Jose State Rat Line may have paid the best compliment when it said, “For college football fans, this is the easy way to get to football heaven. If you are ever involved in starting a Hall of Fame, use this one as your bench mark.”
The Hall of Fame truly offers something for everyone. No matter what day you visit the Hall, you will find out that “every day is Saturday at the College Football Hall of Fame.”
And if you can’t make it to the Hall, the Hall may come to you with its Road Show. This 38-foot motor home, donated by Coachmen Industries of Elkhart, Indiana, and Coachmen Recreational Vehicle Company of Middlebury, Indiana, makes the rounds, visiting schools and stadiums nationwide. For more information on the Hall and its activities, visit www.collegefootball.org.
