Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

If you are sports enthusiasts who have a passion not only for the game itself, but also for its rich history, then one of the stops you have to make when visitingAlabama is the Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. This building located in downtown Birmingham spans an area of 33,000 square feet, with three floors all dedicated to the athletic contributions and history of the area.

The Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1967 through a legislative act and has since then inducted over 200 athletes and sports contributors to its list. The museum is state funded and showcases over 5000 objects that have something to do with athletes who were born in Alabama or who have gained popularity in association with Alabama.

Noted items on display in the museum are the Heisman trophies won by two athletes from Auburn University, a hounds tooth necklace pendant worn y acclaimed University of Alabama coach Paul Bryant apart from the number of jerseys, athletic equipment, and life sized dioramas of players and renowned sporting events. The museum is well kept by its team of curators and directors and is in fact one of the examples of how sports memorabilia can be presented well. The museum continues to grow its collection as more and more people are becoming interested in the exciting world of sports.

With respect to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, popular names include Jesse Owens, Hank Aaron, and Carl Lewis. Every year 6 to 8 new inductees are added to the list comprising of Alabama natives with significant contributions to athletics or those who have become positively associated with the place. So far, five personalities on the list have made it to the 15 greatest athletes of the last century as released by ESPN.

Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and Museum