Two of this year鈥檚 inductees are from northeast Ohio. WKSU鈥檚 Tim Rudell says both found the return to the region moving.
Three-time All-Pro offensive tackle Orlando Pace, who was all-everything at Ohio State, is from Sandusky. And, although he says he鈥檚 stayed close with his family there, being back for the Hall of Fame experience is special.
鈥淏eing that I grew up in Ohio, played high school football here, played college football here, there are so many great moments I have in Ohio, to finish it off here in Canton, it couldn鈥檛 be any better.鈥�
EddieDeBartoloJr., going into the Hall of Fame as the owner of the49rs, is from Youngstown.
鈥淭o be selected as one of the class of 2016, come back to Canton, just 40 miles from our home, it鈥檚 almost like my life came full circle."
Click for a ink to the entire class of 2016
An added wing to thehall
Northeast Ohio is the center of the football world right now with the NFL鈥檚 Hall of Fame Week under way. This year鈥檚 activities and announcements include that there will be another Hall of Fame on site in Canton, within the Pro Football complex:
A 10,000-square-footo celebrate the athletes from traditional black institutions 鈥� 29 of whom are in the Pro Football Hall too.
James Harris, former quarterback of the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams and San Diego Chargers, and a retired vice president of the Detroit Lions, is aGramblinggraduate and co-founder of theHistorically Black College Hall of Fame.
鈥淵ou look at Walter Payton, maybe the third-leading rusher in history. But most people don鈥檛 know he came from Jackson State. Jerry Rice, the leading receiver in the history of the game. But most fans don鈥檛 know he came from Mississippi Valley. Deacon Jones, many consider the best pass rusher ever. But the fans wouldn鈥檛 know his alma mater. Those are the kinds of history and tradition that we鈥檙e trying to keep alive.鈥�
In addition to the newHBCHall of Fame, there are plans to help set off the college football season each year with a nationally televised game at Benson Stadium in Canton between teams from historically black college and universities.
Copyright 2021 WKSU. To see more, visit . 9(MDA5NTM4MTIyMDE0MTg3NDc2MTVlZjdmNQ001))
