Proudly presented by Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, the Calgary Tower, and the Bill Brownridge family, The Spirit of Motion is a FREE multimedia exhibit located at the base of the Calgary Tower, designed to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games.

Experience 43 pieces of original art by acclaimed local artist Bill Brownridge, comprising of 10 original artwork pieces and 33 mono prints originally created for the bid book that led to the awarding of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games to Calgary. Also included is a digital interactive kiosk, where you can explore the stories, artefacts, and videos of the five athletes that medalled for Canada at the 1988 Games, as well as a featured section on Bill Brownridge and 1988 Olympic Treasures.

“Join us, the Brownridge family, as we recall the 1980s and Calgary, a city of fresh hope and new dreams, which ultimately garnered the 1988 Winter Olympics. As revealed in the artwork here, such gatherings speak to our very soul, speak of that eternal, poetic struggle to push limits, yet temper that force with spirit. Poetry in motion, and spirit – this is us. Please enjoy!” said David Brownridge, son of artist Bill Brownridge.

Make sure to visit the Calgary Tower before August 2nd, 2024 to explore the captivating artwork.

— Legends Game to be Played May 25 at Cooperstown’s Doubleday Field;
Museum’s New “The Souls of the Game” Exhibit to Debut Same Day —

The greatest legends of Black Baseball demonstrated their talent and desire for four decades at the annual Negro Leagues East-West All-Star Game.

In 2024, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will honor that legacy by hosting the Hall of Fame East-West Classic: A Tribute to the Negro Leagues All-Star Game, presented by Boeing, during Memorial Day Weekend at Cooperstown’s historic Doubleday Field.

Scheduled for Saturday, May 25, the Hall of Fame East-West Classic, fueled by assistance from Major League Baseball, will feature more than two dozen former big leaguers, with Ken Griffey Jr. and Ozzie Smith among the Hall of Famers who will serve as the East and West teams’ managers and coaches. The game, which will take the place of the Hall of Fame Classic in 2024, will be part of a weekend celebration as the Museum opens its new exhibit The Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball.

“Memorial Day Weekend will serve as a landmark event within a years-long initiative among the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and our partners to rethink how the stories of Black baseball are told in Cooperstown,” said Josh Rawitch, President of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. “The Souls of the Game exhibit will tell the story of Black baseball through the voices of the men and women who broke barriers and made history on and off the field.”

“We are thrilled to host many of the game’s biggest stars of the last two decades for the Hall of Fame East-West Classic, a tribute to the heroes of Black baseball who showcased their talents for years in the annual Negro Leagues All-Star Game,” continued Rawitch. “The incredible enthusiasm from players participating in this legends game – players who faced their own challenges while helping to build on the diversity that has flowed through our National Pastime for more than a century – will make this a must-see event in Cooperstown.”

Players committed to participate in the May 25 Hall of Fame East-West Classic include team captains CC Sabathia and Chris Young; Josh Barfield, Tim Beckham, Ian Desmond, Prince Fielder, Dexter Fowler, Curtis Granderson, Tony Gwynn Jr., Jerry Hairston, Scott Hairston, LaTroy Hawkins, Ryan Howard, Edwin Jackson, Jeremy Jeffress, Adam Jones, Russell Martin, David Price, Tony Sipp, B.J. Upton, Justin Upton and Dontrelle Willis.

The Negro Leagues East-West All-Star Game debuted in 1933 at Chicago’s Comiskey Park and was played annually through 1962, including several years that featured multiple games. Hall of Famer Bill Foster was the winning pitcher in the inaugural East-West All-Star Game and several future Hall of Famers starred in the game throughout the years, including Cool Papa Bell, Ray Brown, Andy Cooper, Leon Day, Josh Gibson, Buck Leonard, Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson and Willie Wells.

“The East-West All-Star Game was the annual showcase for the Negro Leagues, and we are privileged to be able to honor the legacy of those stars over Memorial Day Weekend in Cooperstown as part of the Hall of Fame’s celebration of Black baseball,” said Sabathia, one of several retired major league players helping to advance the Museum’s Black Baseball Initiative. “As players, we are indebted to the pioneers who came before us, and recognizing the All-Stars of the Negro Leagues pays tribute not only to their playing ability but also to their courage and devotion to the game.”

Tickets for the Hall of Fame East-West Classic are on sale now at baseballhall.org/east-west or at 1-888-325-0470 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has teamed up with Sports Travel and Tours to offer baseball fans a one-stop opportunity to purchase Classic Weekend travel packages. For more information or to plan a trip to Cooperstown, please call 1-888-310-HALL (4255). Membership participants receive a 5% discount on all their baseball travel packages.

Located on the Museum’s second floor in the Yawkey Gallery, The Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball will cover stories of early Black baseball, the Negro Leagues era, the complexities of reintegration, Jackie Robinson, post-reintegration progress and retrogress, and calls for change in today’s game while celebrating the newest superstars of the era. Meaningful stories from Black baseball are also being added to other exhibits throughout the Museum.

The exhibit is part of the Hall of Fame’s Black Baseball Initiative that includes additional outreach programs, educational materials and virtual programming and is made possible by the Yawkey Foundation with additional support from Bill Janetschek in honor of his siblings Robert and Ann, the Anthony A. Yoseloff Foundation and the Bisignano Family. The initiative will also enhance Black Baseball stories found throughout the Museum.

The Souls of the Game, a title that pays tribute to W.E.B. Du Bois’s seminal 1903 book “The Souls of Black Folk”, will explore the Black baseball experience of those men, women and children who were and are an integral part of our National Pastime.

Subtitled “Voices of Black Baseball”, the exhibit will highlight first-person accounts by the many individuals whose experiences shaped them, their community, baseball and America at large. Featuring historically significant artifacts, documents and photographs, and utilizing audio, video, and interactive elements, the exhibit will tell a more inclusive story of baseball, shine a light on and correct misconceptions about Black baseball.

For more information about the Museum’s Black Baseball Initiative, please visit https://baseballhall.org/BBI.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an independent nonprofit educational institution, dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the historical development of baseball and its impact on our culture by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections for a global audience as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to our National Pastime. Opening its doors for the first time on June 12, 1939, the Hall of Fame has stood as the definitive repository of the game’s treasures and as a symbol of the most profound individual honor bestowed on an athlete. It is every fan’s “Field of Dreams,” with its stories, legends and magic shared from generation to generation.

Limited-time exhibit features exclusive artifacts showcasing 100 seasons of the Boston Bruins Hockey Club 

To celebrate the Boston Bruins’ milestone season, the Hockey Hall of Fame has opened a Boston Bruins Centennial exhibit that will run through the 2023-24 hockey season and into the 2024-25 hockey season with December 1, 2024, marking their 100th anniversary.

With specially curated artifacts ranging from 1926 to 2018, the display outlines the story of the first US-based NHL team to reach its Centennial and the third club overall. Featured items include a miniature Stanley Cup that was presented to Art Ross representing the team’s first Stanley Cup win in 1928-29, Nels Stewart’s game-worn NHL All-Star team sweater from the “Ace” Baily Benefit game played on February 14, 1934.  The famous “Kraut Line” is well represented with sweaters from Milt Schmidt (1937-38), Woody Dumart (1948-49) and Bobby Bauer (March 18, 1952).  Also included is Bobby Orr’s 60th regular season point stick from the 1968-69 NHL season, Phil Esposito’s 76th goal/152-point stick from the 1970-71 NHL season, Rogie Vachon’s 50th career shutout goal stick from the 1980-81 season, Ray Bourque’s 1000th point puck from February 29, 1992, and Patrice Bergeron’s 500th career NHL point stick from October 25, 2014.

“One of the National Hockey League’s original-six teams is celebrating its 100th anniversary and the Hockey Hall of Fame is thrilled and excited to showcase the rich history of the Boston Bruins”, said Phil Pritchard, Vice-President, Resource Centre and Curator, Hockey Hall of Fame.  “Historic moments, unique stories and numerous Honoured Members are represented in this special display honouring the great tradition of the Bruins.”

About the Hockey Hall of Fame

The Hockey Hall of Fame (“HHOF”) was established in 1943 to honour and memorialize individuals who have brought special distinction to the game of hockey and those who made outstanding contributions to the development and advancement of hockey anywhere in the world, and to collect, research, preserve, exhibit and promote objects, images and other historical materials connected with the game at all levels. As a not-for-profit corporation and registered charity, HHOF owns and operates a museum and place of entertainment offering state-of-the-art exhibits, theatrical presentations, and educational programming from its premises at Brookfield Place, Toronto, and a multi-purpose archive, resource centre and research facility located at 400 Kipling Avenue, Toronto.

Contact:

Kelly Masse

Hockey Hall of Fame

(416) 933-8212

[email protected]

Twitter:@kellyhockeyhall

 

 

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, in partnership with Special Olympics Canada and the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games Calgary 2024 Legacy Fund, recently celebrated the launch of a national education program, “Respecting the Game: The Story of Jackie Barrett”.

Amplifying an inspirational story that transcends time and societal barriers, this program fosters lasting social change by connecting youth to the legacy, impact, and lessons of Jackie Barrett, the first Special Olympics athlete inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

This launch event provided a sneak peek into a national education program, geared towards youth in Grades Kindergarten to 12, that celebrates diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging through the lived experiences of this incredible role model – inspiring youth to dream big by seeing themselves in a true sport icon.

To learn more about this remarkable education program and watch the premiere launch event, visit https://beyondthewin.ca/launch.

On Saturday, November 25, the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame inducted its class of 2023 inductees. The event was held at Light House Arts Centre in Halifax, and broadcast live on Eastlink TV. The recording of the broadcast can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/live/BgSdQ_BY2C4?si=wyhNxWoTVYKbyTGd

The 2023 inductees included Stanley Cup and Calder Cup winner Joe DiPenta, 3-time NAIG Gold Medalist and 2006 Open World Taekwondo champion Sara-Lynne Knockwood, former Canadian Women’s National Soccer Team member Suzanne Gerrior, and 3-time AUS MVP and 1973 Vanier Cup football Champion Bill Robinson. The NSSHF also welcomed the 1993 Acadia Axemen CIAU Championship-winning men’s hockey team, legendary women’s soccer coach John Kehoe, and long time sport journalist/promoter/volunteer Joel Jacobson.

Photo credit: Nick Pearce

Front row, left to right: Joe DiPenta, Bill Robinson, Cathy Jacobson (wife of the late Joel Jacobson), John Kehoe, Suzanne Gerrior, Paul Sutcliffe of the 1993 Acadia Axemen Hockey Team, and Sara-Lynne Knockwood. The rest of the 1993 Acadia Axemen Hockey Team members in attendance complete the back three rows. The full list of names can be found in the NSSHF annual program here: https://nsshf.com/wp-content/uploads/2023_full_annual_program_web_compressed.pdf

The Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame celebrated its 21st class at our November 5th banquet.  The class was full of athletes who achieved incredible heights.  The Horizons Center was freshly decorated for the holiday season and the mood was festive.  Old friends and teammates were able to reunite and swap those familiar stories of the highest of heights while laughing about the lows.

Class of 2023 Inductees:

Jason Richardson – Was the NBA Slam Dunk Champion in 2002 and 2003.  Golden State Warriors draft pick.  2000 Michigan State National Champion.  Attended Arthur Hill High School.

Don Voorheis – Still holds records at Frankenmuth High School in the 100 and 200m events after 70 years.  Michigan State varsity letter winner in track.

Tori Jankoska – One of the best female basketball players in Michigan State history.  All-time scoring leader in Saginaw County through her efforts at Freeland High School.

Hugh Bernreuter – The sportswriter from The Saginaw News has written stories about everyone on this list during and is now the most senior member of the sports team at the newspaper.  He also went to Michigan State University.

Coach Larry Graf – From Hemlock High School, the coach guided countless numbers of young women to be their best on the softball diamond.  He was also a top-notch player in his own right as well as being a top-tier coach.

Ken Tolfree – The Merrill High School gridder took his talents to the newly established football program at Saginaw Valley State College and is still the career interception leader.

Alfonso Boone – Boone made some great plays at Arthur Hill High School and got a college scholarship, but that college football program folded.  After three years out of the game, he walked on at Mt. San Antonio Junior College.  He is the only junior college football player ever drafted (7th round of the 2000 draft by the Detroit Lions).  He had a 10-year career with the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs among other teams.

Nouvel Girls Basketball 2006-08 – The back-to-back champions won the 2006 championship before a court ruling changed girls high school basketball in Michigan to being a winter sport from the fall.  They were a dominant force both seasons and worked together as a team to accomplish their goals.

Other highlights of the evening included the display of artifacts related to the inductees, testimonial videos about the inductees, and their acceptance speeches.  The meal was fantastic, and the evening was enjoyed by all in attendance.

Named Preferred Signage Partner of the Kansas City Royals

 Pinpoint recently hit its own version of a home run, as the company was named the preferred signage partner of the Kansas City Royals. The partnership centers on Pinpoint providing stadium signage-related production services to the MLB team, including graphics, printing, fabrication, and installation services within the interior and exterior surfaces of Kauffman Stadium, located in Kansas City, MO.

Often referred to as “The K”, Kauffman Stadium has been home to the Kansas City Royals since 1973. With a seating capacity of 38,341, the K has hosted four World Series and served as the stadium site for two MLB All-Star games. The stadium features the tallest LED video display in baseball, has 74 concession stands, and includes a unique 322-foot-wide water fountain, the world’s largest privately funded fountain, making for an engaging fan environment.

“The Royals organization is always looking for unique and captivating ways to connect fans with not only the game on the field but to all the stadium has to offer,” said Sarah Tourville, Executive Vice President – Chief Commercial and Community Impact Officer for the Kansas City Royals. “We believe this new partnership with Pinpoint will add to the visual experience when people walk through the gates at The K.”

As specialists in signage applications for all types of surfaces, spaces, and touchpoint applications, including suites, concourses, and seating areas, among others, Pinpoint is very excited to provide the Kansas City Royals with best-in-class signage expertise.

“We are incredibly excited to be partnering with the Kansas City Royals,” said Pinpoint’s Steve Gentile, Director of Strategy and Partner. Kauffman Stadium is such a unique ballpark filled with history located in a city that is synonymous with world-class sports. We look forward to thoughtfully integrating partner sponsorship activations and branding throughout the venue, keeping the environment visually impactful, clean, and engaging for fans. Having a plethora of quality BBQ options to choose from makes the partnership that much better.”

About Pinpoint

Founded in 2008, Pinpoint creates unforgettable experiences that connect people with brands. From national brand activations such as Arsenal F.C.’s away uniform unveiling to custom-fabricated buildouts for NFL teams – Pinpoint is a full-service project resource, custom signage, creative fabrication, and production company capable of customizing any space or product to captivate and inspire the target audience.

Pinpoint are experts in brand strategy and experiences, creative services, fabricated buildouts, environment transformations, large-scale signage, custom displays, installations, promotional products, imprinted apparel, print collateral, and direct marketing.

About Kansas City Royals

The Kansas City Royals are a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The team competes in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. The Royals have won two World Series championships, in 1985 and 2015.

The Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame welcomed over 400 guests to the Hilton Polaris in Columbus on June 10th as the organization celebrated the 2023 Class. Eighteen players, coaches and contributors were enshrined and two outstanding graduating seniors received $1,000 scholarships at the Ceremony.

Due to rising costs to produce the event, the OBHOF decided to move from a sit-down formal dinner to a theater-style ceremony and reception. The event started earlier in the day (4 pm) and annual attendees were thrilled with the changes to the format. The 2024 Ceremony will be held on April 20 with a similar format.

Founded in 2005, the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame recognizes the remarkable achievements of both male and female athletes across high school, college, and professional basketball—along with phenomenal coaches and contributors who’ve impacted the game along the way. Together with a dedicated collection of coaches and basketball enthusiasts, Doc Daugherty and the late Don Henderson led the charge to establish the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame with a mission of preserving legacies, celebrating greatness, and honoring excellence.

As of 2023, the organization has recognized 284 individual inductees representing 30 Ohio colleges and universities and 112 Ohio high schools. The list of charter members of the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame reads like a Who’s Who of some of the sport’s most recognizable figures – Wayne Embry, Jerry Lucas, Katie Smith, Jimmy Jackson, Oscar Robertson, Clark Kellogg, Bill Hosket Jr., Fred Taylor, Paul Walker, Jay Burson, John Havlicek, Bob Knight, and Nate Thurmond.