Kansas Sports Hall of Fame facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kansas Sports Hall of Fame

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Location	Wichita Boat House, 515 South Wichita Street, Wichita, Kansas 67202

The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame is a special museum in Wichita. It celebrates the amazing history of sports in Kansas. The museum shows off exhibits and stories about athletes and teams. These people and groups brought great honor to themselves, their towns, and the whole state of Kansas through their sports achievements.

Barry Sanders, a famous Kansas athlete.

History of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame

The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame started in 1961. This was part of Kansas's 100th birthday celebration. The museum has been in a few different places over the years. Now, it is located in Wichita at the Wichita Boathouse.

The museum gets money to run from donations, ticket sales, and its gift shop. It also hosts special events. The museum is a fun place for families to visit. It can also be used for parties, meetings, and other gatherings.

In June 2009, the museum announced some big changes. It created the Kansas Sports Museum in Newton, Kansas. The Hall of Fame also shared that it would move to the Wichita Boathouse. This move helped save money. The Boathouse already displayed the America³ yacht, which won the 1992 America's Cup.

The new museum in Newton has a large space. It holds exhibits and items that the Hall of Fame did not have room for in its new Wichita location. The museum in Old Town Wichita was closed for a while during the move and updates.

What You Can See at the Museum

The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame has many exciting exhibits. You can explore different sports and learn about famous athletes from Kansas.

Basketball: The Cradle of the Game

First basketball team at the University of Kansas, 1899. Coach James Naismith is on the far right.

Kansas is often called the "Cradle of Basketball." This is because James Naismith, who invented basketball, worked here. He is a very important part of this museum area. You can learn all about him.

The museum also honors many legendary basketball coaches. These include Phog Allen, Adolph Rupp, Dean Smith, and Ted Owens.

You can see NBA and NCAA Basketball jerseys, balls, and trophies. There are also displays about Kansas high school basketball. You can learn about famous high school teams like Dwight, McPherson, and Wichita South. The museum also celebrates the success of girls' basketball teams from Bishop Miege and Little River.

The museum features photos and items from famous women basketball stars. These include Lynette Woodard, Jackie Stiles, and Kendra Wecker.

Football: Gridiron Greats

An early 20th century photograph of Garfield Weede, a charter member admitted to the Hall of Fame in 1961.

In the football area, you can see jerseys, helmets, and balls. There are also All-American awards won by Kansas athletes. These include John Hadl, Lynn Dickey, and Nolan Cromwell. You can also see items from Pro Football Hall of Fame members like Gale Sayers, John Riggins, and Barry Sanders.

The museum displays The Governor's Cup. This trophy is given each year to the winner of the game between Kansas State University and the University of Kansas. There is also a special tribute to the Wildcats football team. It shows their success under Coach Bill Snyder.

A memorial honors the Wichita State University football players who died in a plane crash in October 1970.

The museum also covers the history of small college football in Kansas. It highlights teams like Pittsburg State and Bethany College. You can also see items from famous Kansas high school football teams. These include Lawrence, Smith Center, and Conway Springs.

Baseball: Diamond Legends

The baseball gallery features legendary Kansas stars. These include Baseball Hall of Fame members Walter Johnson, Joe Tinker, and Fred Clarke. You can see photos and items from the successful Wichita State Shocker program. This team was coached by Gene Stephenson. Famous players from this team include Joe Carter and Darren Dreifort.

The museum also has old photos and items. These include signed pieces from Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle. Kansas City Royals star player George Brett was added to the Hall of Fame in 2017.

You can also see The Coleman Company/Johnny Bench Award. This award is given every year to the best college catcher. The museum also displays items from many other Kansas baseball icons.

Track and Field: Olympic Stars

The track and field gallery shows why Kansas is known for producing great Olympic athletes. You can see two Olympic gold medals on display. There are also shoes worn by world record holders like Jim Ryun and Wes Santee.

The museum highlights Olympic champions such as Billy Mills, Bill Nieder, and Maurice Greene. You can also see a high jump bar set at 7 feet, 4 ½ inches. This was the Kansas high school record set in 1984. There are hundreds of photos of Kansas high school and college track stars.

Hall of Fame Members

As of 2018, there are 286 individuals who have been named to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. New members are added each fall. Here is a partial list of some of the famous people in the Hall of Fame: