FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 06/14/2019
WEEKLY “NOTES & NUGGETS” FROM THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME BUSTS OF BEARS HALL OF FAMERS AT TEAM’S 100 CELEBRATION; EAGLES ROOKIES VISIT THE HALL; JEROME BETTIS SPEAKS AT BEST OF PREPS; 100TH SEASON TICKET PACKAGE; FROM THE ARCHIVES: FATHER-SON COMBINATIONS IN THE SUPER BOWL
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!”
BRONZED BUSTS OF BEARS HALL OF FAMERS ON DISPLAY IN CHICAGO The Bronzed Busts of all 28 Chicago Bears Hall of Famers traveled to Chicago for the Bears100 Celebration Weekend to celebrate the team’s 100th season. The busts, rarely removed from the Hall of Fame Gallery, were exhibited for fans to enjoy. This marked the most Bronzed Busts ever exhibited in one place outside of Canton.
Photo: The 28 Bronzed Busts of Bears Hall of Famers were on display last weekend in Chicago.
In addition to the busts, several Hall of Famers were in attendance to celebrate with Bears fans including DICK BUTKUS, RICHARD DENT, MIKE DITKA, DAN HAMPTON, GALE SAYERS and MIKE SINGLETARY. The Bears’ greats participated in panel discussions alongside current and former Bears players and coaches including Mitchell Trubisky, Kyle Fuller, Jim McMahon and Matt Nagy.
NFL’s 100th Season Kicks Off at the 2019 Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls (Aug. 1-4) ProFootballHOF.com/Tickets
EAGLES ROOKIES TOUR THE HALL Fifteen rookies from the Philadelphia Eagles, along with three staff members, visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame last Saturday. As part of their visit, the players learned about the history of pro football, the mission of the Hall of Fame and viewed various Eagles artifacts in the Hall’s collection. The players also enjoyed trying on pads and helmets from the early years of professional football and experiencing the Hall’s two main theaters, The Super Bowl Theater and A Game for Life holographic theater.
Photo: Eagles rookies pose with the Jim Thorpe statue at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
JEROME BETTIS SPEAKS AT BEST OF PREPS Hall of Famer JEROME BETTIS took part in four Best of Preps Sports Award banquets this week in Northeast Ohio. The events honor outstanding high school athletes, coaches and fans in surrounding communities. Bettis appeared at one banquet in Akron on Tuesday and in Canton last night. Two more events are scheduled for tonight and Saturday night at the Canton Civic Center. Bettis spoke to the student-athletes about his life and career in the NFL and the lessons he learned along the way.
Photo: Pro Football Hall of Fame President & CEO David Baker moderates a question and answer segment with Bettis.
100TH SEASON TICKET PACKAGE The Hall of Fame, as a tribute to the National Football League’s 100th Season kicking off with the 2019 Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls in Canton, is offering a special 100th Season Ticket Package for just $100. “To be on hand for the historic kickoff to the NFL’s 100th season in the city where the league was formed will provide memories that last a lifetime. We are pleased to offer this tremendous opportunity to fans everywhere,” stated Hall of Fame Vice President of Sales & Marketing Brock Richards.
NFL’s 100th Season Kicks Off at the 2019 Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls (Aug. 1-4) ProFootballHOF.com/Tickets
The 100th Season Ticket Package (a value of more than $200) includes: • Gold Zone Seat to the Hall of Fame Game (Atlanta Falcons vs. Denver Broncos) • Prime Lower Level Seat at the Enshrinement Ceremony (CHAMP BAILEY, PAT BOWLEN, GIL BRANDT, TONY GONZALEZ, TY LAW, KEVIN MAWAE, ED REED and JOHNNY ROBINSON) • Pro Football Hall of Fame Museum Admission • Exclusive Limited-Edition T-shirt
The 100th Season Ticket Package can be purchased at www.profootballhof.com/tickets/.
The annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival including Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls features 18 diverse events that attracts 700,000 fans from across the country and the world. For full details, schedules, and tickets to all of the events, visit: www.ProFootballHOF.com/ or www.ProFootballHOFFestival.com/.
FROM THE RALPH WILSON, JR. PRO FOOTBALL RESEARCH & PRESERVATION CENTER: The Ralph Wilson, Jr. Pro Football Research & Preservation Center is home to the world’s largest collection on football including a personal legacy archive on every player who has competed in the NFL since its founding in 1920. Contained inside the archives are more than 40 million pages of documents and six million photographic images.
Staff help a variety of patrons from fans, researchers, authors, and students as well as serving as a resource of information to the National Football League, its 32 clubs and members of the media.
Several Hall of Famers’ sons have gone on to follow in their father’s footsteps in pro football. However, the only four Hall of Famers who have played in a Super Bowl and also had a son who competed in the Super Bowl are TONY DORSETT, BOB GRIESE, BRUCE MATTHEWS and JACKIE SLATER.
The full list of 17 father-son combinations who have played on teams that reached the Super Bowl can be downloaded here: https://profootballhof.box.com/s/lown35cn5yyl6k7g6jced1a98i2ae38b
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CONTACTS: Pete Fierle, Chief of Staff & Senior Vice President of Communications [email protected]; 330-588-3622
Rachel Gutting, Director of Communications & Strategic Initiatives [email protected]; 330-588-3671
NFL’s 100th Season Kicks Off at the 2019 Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls (Aug. 1-4) ProFootballHOF.com/Tickets
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. Fans can also enjoy the Hall of Fame Store at the Hall, and online at www.profootballhof.com/store, for merchandise from all 32 NFL clubs plus the Hall of Fame. Proceeds from the Store support the Hall’s Mission.
Construction on Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village, a mixed-use development project that will include 10 main components, is under way in Canton to transform the Hall of Fame’s campus.
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NFL’s 100th Season Kicks Off at the 2019 Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls (Aug. 1-4) ProFootballHOF.com/Tickets