Alabama Sports Hall of Fame facts for kids
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| Established | August 14, 1967 |
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| Location | Birmingham, Alabama, United States |
| Type | Sports museum |
| Collection size | Over 5,000 sports-related objects |
The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame (often called ASHOF) is a special museum in Birmingham, Alabama. It's all about celebrating the amazing sports history of Alabama. This museum shows off more than 5,000 items. These items are linked to athletes who were born in Alabama. Or they became famous through sports in Alabama. The ASHOF was officially started on August 14, 1967.
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What is the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame?
The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame is a museum that honors great athletes. These athletes have made Alabama proud. They might have played sports in Alabama schools. Or they might have been born in Alabama. The museum shares their stories and achievements. It helps everyone learn about Alabama's rich sports past.
Who are the Famous Members?
The ASHOF has over 300 members. These are people who have been chosen for their sports achievements. Some are even among the greatest athletes ever. For example, five of the top 15 athletes from the last century are members. These were chosen by ESPN.
Some very famous members include:
- Jesse Owens (a legendary track and field star)
- Hank Aaron (a baseball icon)
- Joe Louis (a boxing champion)
- Willie Mays (another baseball legend)
- Carl Lewis (an Olympic track and field champion)
- Don Hutson (a football Hall of Famer)
- Paul "Bear" Bryant (a famous football coach)
You can find a full list of all the members on the museum's official website.
How Do People Become Members?
Every year, the museum holds a special dinner. At this event, they add new members to the Hall of Fame. Usually, six to eight people are chosen each year. These people have all done great things in sports. Some are from the "seniors" group. This means they played sports a long time ago.
Each year, they also pick a "Distinguished Sportsman." This is usually someone from Alabama. But sometimes, it's a "Distinguished American Sportsman." This person is voted in by the museum's leaders. Two famous examples of American Sportsmen are President George Herbert Walker Bush and the entertainer Bob Hope.
What Can You See at the Museum?
The ASHOF is in a big building in downtown Birmingham. It's about 33,000 square feet in size. That's a lot of space! The museum is next to the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. It's also near the Southeastern Conference headquarters.
The museum has three floors filled with exhibits. There's also a theater called the Bryant-Jordan Theater. It can seat 75 people.
What's in the Collection?
The museum has over 5,000 items on display. You can see some really cool things, like:
- The Heisman Trophies won by Auburn University football players Pat Sullivan and Bo Jackson. These are awards for the best college football player.
- A special houndstooth hat. This hat was worn by the famous University of Alabama coach, "Bear" Bryant.
- Life-size displays of athletes.
- Old sports equipment.
- Historic sports uniforms.
Who Runs the Museum?
The main leader of the museum is Scott Myers. He used to be in charge of a football team called the Alabama Steeldogs. Mr. Myers took over from William Legg. Mr. Legg helped make the museum new and exciting in 1992. The museum today is a great place to see sports history. Many people think it's a perfect example of a sports museum.
The person who takes care of all the items on display is Dr. Avalee Willoughby. She won a special award in 2007 for her work.
See also
- Paul W. Bryant Museum
- Walk of Champions (University of Alabama)
