Larry Vaught Photo
Until a few weeks ago I did not know about the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Myrtle Beach, but I am sure glad I found out and had a chance to spend about 90 minutes at the less than two-year-old venue in Broadway at the Beach in the heart of Myrtle Beach.
“Everything that’s featured here is authentic and straight from Canton (Ohio where the original Pro Football Hall of Fame is located) with the goal of educating fans on the evolution of the game and spotlighting the legends that paved the way for football to become the cultural icon it is today,” said Charlie Hucks, general manager of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Myrtle Beach.
Hucks’ advice to me was “take your time” so I could see all I could and I did that.
“Our staff is very knowledgeable and is more than happy to answer any questions you have,” Hucks said.
I learned a lot of things during my visit. Thirty-five cities had pro teams in the 1920’s and the Hall of Fame traces that time to what the NFL is today.
The “Gridiron Glory” exhibit has more than 200 artifacts, photos and documents.
“Gridiron Glory” is an exhibition on the history of the game. So we have all kinds of unique and interesting artifacts spanning from the 1800s all the way through the current era,” Hucks said.
“Some of our fan favorites have been Tom Dempsey’s boot from when he kicked his famous record-breaking 63 yard field goal in 1970, a 1962 letter from Jackie Robinson to Ernie Davis, as well as Tom Brady’s draft card from 2000.”
Who would have thought a player drafted in 2000 like Brady would still have been playing this year — or would have won the Super Bowl all he did. It was pretty cool seeing the original card showing him being that late-round draft steal for New England all those years ago.
Not only did the Hall have Dempsey’s kicking boot, but it had video of the kick and if you have not seen that boot from 53 years ago, this is your chance.
One of my favorite exhibits was seeing Jim Brown’s No. 32 Cleveland Browns jersey. He retired in 1965 after nine years in the NFL with every major rushing record at the time. I still remember watching him play with my father and being amazed not only with his speed and power but how he could take a hit, look like he could barely get back to the huddle and then the next play break off a huge run. I loved the film of his runs.
You can see Brett Favre’s Green Bay Packers jersey from his 117th straight start in 1999 that set a NFL record. He went on to start an unbelievable 297 straight games.
My Pittsburgh Steelers fans could see the jersey Ben Roethlisberger had on the day in 2009 when he threw for 503 yards .
Former Kentucky quarterback/kicker George Blanda is showcased. He retired after 26 seasons in 1975 as the NFL’s all-time leading scorer with 2,002 points and there was film of him in action.
“We also have an abundance of Super Bowl paraphernalia in our Champions Theater, which has our authentic Lombardi Trophy at the center and is surrounded by artifacts including Sean Payton’s Super Bowl XLIV jacket, Bill Belichick’s playbook from his Super Bowl XXV win as the Giants defensive coordinator, as well as his jacket from his first Super Bowl win as head coach for New England in 2001,” Hucks said. “We also have Super Bowl XLVIII MVP Malcolm Smith’s uniform, Walter Payton’s game-worn jersey, among many others.”
One thing I was not expecting were the interactive displays around the museum. You could search for NFL Hall of Fame members by name, year or team. You could call up some memorable plays in NFL history.
But guess which one I liked the best? It was the instant replay booth. You get a look at four different camera angles on controversial plays to see if you can make the right call based on what NFL officials decided. I went 2-for-4.
The Hall of Fame was a walk through memory lane for me but for those younger than me it would be so educational. I hope to take my grandson one day to let him read and see about former NFL stars that he probably knows nothing about.
If you are going to be in Myrtle Beach this summer — or anytime really — take a break for a few hours one day and visit this attraction. If you do, I do not think you will regret it.
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The Pro Football Hall of Fame is located at 1320 Celebrity Circle, #195, Myrtle Beach, SC, 29577. For more information, call 843-259-2487 or visit this link.
