FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 09/21/2018

WEEKLY “NOTES & NUGGETS” FROM THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME HALL OF FAME RING OF EXCELLENCE CEREMONIES, FANS’ LONG JOURNEYS; NATIONAL MUSEUM DAY & ARTIFACTS FROM FIRST TWO WEEKS OF NFL SEASON

CANTON, OHIO – The following is a sampling of events, happenings and notes that highlight how the Pro Football Hall of Fame serves its important mission to “Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values & Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE!”

AVID FOOTBALL FANS MAKE LONG TREK TO CANTON Two particular couples stood out among all the visitors who made a journey to visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame this week.

• New England Patriots fans Bruce and Trish Marshall drove their 1931 Ford Model A to the Hall of Fame. Their trek necessitated taking back roads since the car only reaches maximum speeds of around 40 mph. The couple drove from their home in Massachusetts to Kalmazoo, Mich. and then on to Canton. The creative team from Hall of Fame Productions produced this unique “vintage film” clip of the Marshalls visit that was posted to the Hall’s Twitter @ProFootballHOF.

Watch video: https://twitter.com/ProFootballHOF/status/1042496233145810945

• ’ fans Phil and Jennifer Davis from Oakley, Calif. took a train across the country for a memorable football vacation. The couple wrapped up their journey with a visit to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Thursday before heading to Cleveland to see the Browns take on the at FirstEnergy Stadium. As the couple was leaving the Hall of Fame, they spotted the Hall’s President David Baker and posed for a photo. This marked the third time this week that they have crossed paths with Baker. On Sunday, the Davises were at for the Green Bay Packers-Minnesota Vikings game during which JERRY KRAMER received his Hall of Fame Ring of Excellence at halftime from Baker. The following night, the couple attended the Chicago Bears-Seattle Seahawks game at Soldier Field when BRIAN URLACHER received his Ring of Excellence.

• Hall of Fame President David Baker posted a photo on his Instagram (@PFHOFPrez) of Virginia McCaskey on Monday night (Sept. 17) and added the caption,

“Tonight the gracious & elegant Mrs. Virginia McCaskey presented the @profootballhof Ring of Excellene designed by @kayjewelers to Brian Urlacher! OTD 1920, her legendary father George Halas was in Canton, Ohio founding @nfl.

NEW ARTIFACTS The Pro Football Hall of Fame is home to the world’s largest collection on pro football in the world. Each year, the collection grows as artifacts from milestone moments from the current NFL season arrive in Canton. Here is some of the history from the first two weeks of the 2018 NFL Season that are being preserved at the Hall. Many of these artifacts are already on display in the Pro Football Today Gallery:

• The football Frank Gore carried and the jersey (left) he wore when, on Sunday, Sept. 16, he surpassed Hall of Famer on the all-time rushing list.

• Kickoff Weekend game ball from the Arizona Cardinals against the Washington Redskins on Sept. 9. This season marks the 120th Anniversary of the Cardinals franchise that traces its history back to the Morgan Athletic Club of Chicago in 1898.

• The game ball from the Dolphins home opener against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 9. As a result of two separate delays due to lightning in the area, the game was 7 hours, 8 minutes, thereby making it the longest NFL game since the 1970 merger.

• The shoes worn by in Week 1 when the Washington Redskins took on the Arizona Cardinals. The veteran scored his 100th career touchdown and also surpassed Hall of Famers and on the NFL’s all-time rushing list. Top 20 All-Time Rushers list is updated weekly on the Hall’s website: http://www.profootballhof.com/football-history/weekly-top-20/

#HUDDLEUPAMERICA The Pro Football Hall of Fame recently hosted the first #HuddleUpAmerica event. Launched by the Hall last fall, #HuddleUpAmerica is a campaign focused on lessons and values learned from the game of football and how they apply to life. The event brought together more than 100 youth from Canton, Akron and Cleveland who huddled up with 36 police officers from across the state of Ohio. Hall of Famer JIM BROWN took part in the program.

• Full story: http://www.profootballhof.com/huddleupamerica-event-took-place-at-the-pro- football-hall-of-fame/

NATIONAL MUSEUM DAY The Pro Football Hall of Fame is taking part in the 2018 National Museum Day on Saturday (Sept. 22). Participating museums and cultural institutions across the country will provide free entry to anyone presenting a Museum Day ticket. Individuals must register on the Smithsonian Magazine website to get free admission that includes one guest at: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2018/pro-football-hall-of-fame/tickets/

Forms must be completed before visiting the Hall and guests will need to present their ticket voucher either in printed version or on their smart phones.

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CONTACTS: Pete Fierle, Chief of Staff & Vice President of Communications [email protected]; 330-588-3622

Rachel Gutting, Communications Coordinator [email protected]; 330-588-3671

ABOUT THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME Located in Canton, Ohio, the birthplace of the National Football League, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit institution with the Mission to Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values, & Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. AAM accreditation is national recognition for the museum’s commitment to excellence and the highest professional standards of museum operation and public service.

Hundreds of thousands of fans from across the globe travel to Canton annually to experience “The Most Inspiring Place on Earth!” that chronicles America’s most popular sport. The Pro Football Hall of Fame, also voted Top Tourist Attraction in Ohio, was named the Best Attraction for Sports Fans in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest.

Construction on Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village, an $889 million development project that includes 10 main components, is under way in Canton to transform the Hall of Fame’s campus.

@ProFootballHOF