National Track and Field Hall of Fame facts for kids

The logo for the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Award ceremony for the National Track and Field Hall of Fame at the Jesse Owens Award banquet in 2011.

The National Track and Field Hall of Fame is a special museum that celebrates the history of track and field in the United States. It is run by The Armory Foundation, working with USA Track & Field. The museum is located in New York City, inside a building called The Armory, in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan.

The main goal of the Hall of Fame is to honor Americans who have made amazing contributions to track and field. These honored people, called "inductees," include athletes, coaches, officials, and others who have helped the sport grow. USA Track & Field has been adding new members to the Hall of Fame since 1974. As of August 2025, there are 254 people who have been honored.

History of the Hall of Fame

The National Track and Field Hall of Fame first started in Charleston, West Virginia, in 1974. In 1985, the museum moved to Indianapolis and became part of USA Track & Field. This organization is in charge of track and field sports in the United States.

The Indianapolis museum closed in 1996. Its exhibits were then moved to Atlanta for the 1996 Centennial Olympics. After that, the exhibits traveled around the country as a moving museum until 2002. Finally, The Armory building in New York City was chosen as its permanent home.

Some cool items on display include original 1976 Nike Waffle Trainers. You can also see a running shirt and shorts worn by famous Hall of Famer Steve Prefontaine.

Who Can Be Nominated?

People are chosen for the Hall of Fame based on different rules, depending on what they did for the sport.

Athletes: How They Get In

To be considered, an athlete must have competed in major events at least three years before being nominated. However, if an athlete is 40 years old or older, this rule doesn't apply. Athletes must also meet one or more of these requirements:

• They held a world record.
• They held an American record.
• They were a world champion.
• They were an Olympic champion.
• They were the best in their event in the world or America for three or more years.
• They won four or more national championships in the USA.
• They had other outstanding achievements in national or international competitions.

Coaches: Their Achievements

Coaches can be nominated if they have stopped full-time coaching for at least one year. This rule is different if they have coached for 35 years or more. Coaches must also meet these rules:

• They helped many champions succeed at different levels, like national or high school.
• They had an amazing winning record or other great achievements.
• They coached for at least 20 years.

Contributors: Helping the Sport

A "Contributor" is someone who has helped the track and field community in a special way. To be nominated, they must have worked for the sport's benefit for at least 20 years. They can also be nominated for other outstanding achievements.

Other Halls of Fame

USATF also has other Halls of Fame. These include the USATF Masters Hall of Fame, started in 1996. There is also an Officials Hall of Fame: http://www.legacy.usatf.org/HallOfFame/Officials/: http://www.legacy.usatf.org/HallOfFame/Officials/, created in 2007. Members for these halls are chosen by different groups. Sometimes, people are in more than one hall. These members are listed, but their achievements are not shown at the New York City museum.

How People Are Chosen

Every February, the Hall of Fame committee starts looking for new nominations. These nominations must be submitted by May 1st each year. By May 15th, all nominations are gathered. This includes nominations from past years that are still being considered.

Next, a special committee reviews all the nominations. This committee chooses the best candidates to be voted on. The names of the committee members are kept private. This committee can also add their own nominations to create the best possible list.

By June 30th, a list of 10 to 12 nominees is created. This list includes information about each person. The President of the Hall of Fame and the committee chair review the list. Then, it is sent to the voters in late July.

The voters include people already in the Hall of Fame, committee members, and selected sports writers. Each voter gets one vote. If a voter doesn't vote for two years in a row, they might be removed from the list. All votes must be sent to an accounting firm by August 29th. In early September, the accounting firm, committee chair, and Board President review the votes. They then announce the new inductees later that month.

The Museum Experience

Exterior of The Armory Building, home to the National Track & Field Hall of Fame.

The museum is located at The Armory Foundation, at 216 Fort Washington Avenue in Washington Heights, New York. It is spread across three levels.

The first level has the main entrance and the Hall of Fame Theater. Here, visitors can watch a film called "Welcome to The Hall of Fame." This level also has the Hall of Fame History Gallery, where you can watch a film about Olympic moments.

The second level features the Hall of Fame Atrium, the Hall of Fame Champion Gallery, and the Fred Lebow Marathon Hall.

The third level holds the main Hall of Fame Gallery. It has a 40-foot-long etched glass wall with the names of all the honored members carved into it. Through this glass wall, visitors can see the huge 65,000-square-foot arena. This arena hosts some of the biggest indoor college and high school track events in the world.

Honored Members

Many incredible people have been inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. Here are a few examples of the athletes, coaches, and others who have been recognized for their amazing contributions to the sport: