National Football Foundation

Bob Hope was an English-born American entertainer noted for his numerous United Service Organizations shows entertaining American military personnel. Hope made 57 tours for the USO between 1941 and 1991. In 1997, the U.S. Congress declared him the “first and only honorary veteran of the U.S. armed forces.”

With a career spanning more than 60 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 films and shorts, hosted the Academy Awards 14 times and authored 14 books. He has performed more than 1,000 radio shows and made more than 260 appearances on television specials, which he frequently used to promote the College Football All-America teams. He has received more than 900 awards including the Medal of Freedom, the Medal of Merit, the Army, Navy and Air Force Awards, the Peace Award and the Freedom Award.

Hope was an active member of the Columbus Chapter of the National Football Foundation, appearing at several of the banquets. Hope died of pneumonia in 2003 at the age of 100.