Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, is a unique structure. It was opened Sept. 7, 1963, and has had several additions. The annual Hall of Fame game is played in the stadium behind the building.

By Rod King
Guest Columnist

Editor’s Note: Rod King is the author of a monthly column “Great Escapes” that will take readers to various locations throughout the country.

The last thing you’d expect to see when entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, is a shiny 1920 Hupmobile.

A friendly docent will happily clear up your confusion by explaining that the automobile is a pivotal part of the history of the National Football League. In fact, the Canton Hupmobile dealership was at the center of its founding. And that’s why the Hall is located in Canton and the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame game is played in the stadium next door.

Early in 1920 the owner of the dealership and the Canton Bulldogs team invited owners of other area and East Coast teams to come to Canton to talk about organizing a professional football league. There weren’t enough chairs for everyone, so some sat on the running boards of the cars in the showroom. What they came up with was the American Professional Football Conference consisting mainly of Ohio teams.

A statue of its first star, legendary Native American Jim Thorpe, stands in the center of the rotunda. He was named first president of the league.

A month later it was changed from Conference to Association and teams in Buffalo; Detroit; Rochester, N.Y.; and Hammond were added. Legendary Native American Jim Thorpe, who played for the Canton Bulldogs, was named its first president. A bronze statue of him is displayed in the First Century rotunda.

Only two charter members, the Chicago Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals) and the Decatur Staleys (now the Chicago Bears) are still in existence.

At the Hall, visitors will learn that football was first professionalized in 1892. They’ll pass through the Pro Football Time Tunnel on their way to the circular structure that focuses on the NFL’s first century, decade by decade. Here they learn that pro football was primarily a regional sport with informal circuits centered in a single state or region with only limited play outside state lines. There’s plenty of equipment and uniforms on display that by today’s standards look to be anything but protective.

Names of teams participating in the early years and now long gone include the Providence (Rhode Island) Steamrollers, Muncie (Indiana) Flyers, Rock Island (Illinois) Independents, Akron (Ohio) Professionals, Brooklyn (New York) Lions, Orange (New Jersey) Tornadoes, St. Louis (Missouri) Gunners, Duluth (Minnesota) Eskimos and the Racine (Wisconsin) Badgers.

There’s a whole room full of busts of famous players, coaches, owners and front office personnel who’ve received gold jackets at the annual induction ceremonies. The most interesting things, however, are the bits of trivia no one’s ever heard of. Like the fact that Buffalo Bills guard Billy Shaw, a Hall enshrinee, never played in the NFL. His entire career was in the American Football League. How about this! The tallest pro football player was Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Richard Sligh. He was 7 feet tall. Shortest was Jack Shapiro, a running back for the 1929 Staten Island Stapletons, who was just 5 feet, 1/2 inch tall.

Hands-on exhibits allow visitors to compare their hand size with a pro quarterbacks, slip on shoulder pads, compare 1920s helmets with today’s and stand under the hood like an official to make a video replay judgement. Outstanding plays from past Super Bowls are shown in the theater.

For died-in-the-wool pro football fans, the Hall of Fame is a “bucket list” must. Check it out at profootballhof.com for admission fees, parking and hours.