To any sports fan, a hall of fame is the quintessential celebration of a sport and tribute to the athletes who participate in that sport. Many a sports fan will make pilgrimages to the hall of fame of their favorite sport to "soak up" the history and traditions of that sport.
In North America there are over thirty halls of fame to various sports and sporting events. As one would expect, these include halls dedicated to the major sports such as baseball, basketball, hockey, and football (here "major" refers to those sports that attract the largest fan base in North America). Also included in this number are halls that pay tribute to sports such as bowling, cycling, fishing, gymnastics, lacrosse, motor sports, skating, skiing, soccer, softball, swimming, track and field, trapshooting, volleyball, wrestling, and even snowmobiling.
In addition, there are numerous other state or college specific halls of fame, as well as online or virtual halls of fame.
There are seventeen states that host at least one hall of fame. There are three halls of fame in Canada, all of which are in Ontario. The most famous Canadian hall of fame is the Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum in Toronto. Some interesting hall of fame statistics include: - New York is the state with the most halls of fame, with five, including the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in Goshen, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, the National Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum in Oneonta, and the National Track & Field Hall of Fame in New York City.
- There are four states that host three halls of fame. These are:
- Colorado with the Colorado Ski Museum/Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in Vail, the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in Crested Butte, and the World Skating Museum and Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs
- Florida with the International Game Fishing Association Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum in Dania Beach, the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Ft. Lauderdale, and the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine.
- Ohio with the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Pickerington, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, and the Trapshooting Hall of Fame in Vandalia.
- Oklahoma with the Amateur Softball Association of America: Hall of Fame and Museum in Oklahoma City, the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater.
- Oklahoma City is the only city with more than one hall of fame.
- Three other states, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Wisconsin have two halls of fame.
- The sport with the most halls of fame dedicated to it is motor sports with five, the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame & Museum, the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and Museum, and the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum.
- Football (American Football) has three halls of fame dedicated to it, and baseball, basketball, cycling, fishing, horse racing, hockey, and skiing each have two.
The halls of fame for the major North American spectator sports include: - The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York
- The Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts
- The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio
- The World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Florida
- The Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The National Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum in Oneonta, New York
- The International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island
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