Virginia Sports Hall of Fame

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame is located in Portsmouth, Virginia. It is the second largest state hall of fame center (after the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame). The Hall of Fame includes tributes to famous Virginian athletes, such as Arthur Ashe.

Established in 1972, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and Museum [1] honors more than 200 Virginia athletes, coaches, administrators, educators and journalists who have made a major impact on the world of sports.  The Hall of Fame honors great champions and celebrates the great characters of Virginia’s rich sports history.

The interactive family-friendly environment features college sports, media, Olympics, golf, auto racing and Redskins exhibits along with hands-on baseball, basketball, football, soccer and auto racing activities.    The Hall is one of only about 16 official state sports halls of fame in the country and a member of the International Association of Sports Museums and Halls of Fame.

More than 45 National Hall of Famers are among its ranks, as are more than 30 of the Top 50 athletes of the century recognized by Sports Illustrated.  The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame opened its new state-of-the-art facility in 2005. It is located just a short walk from the Elizabeth River passenger ferry, the new Renaissance Hotel and Waterfront Conference Center, and the NTelos Harbor Pavilion, a riverfront amphitheater and performing arts center. Bordering downtown Portsmouth’s Olde Towne historic district, the site is just two blocks from the Museum’s former home.

The Museum’s nine exhibit areas showcase 20 sports. Interpretive displays and interactive exhibits cover college athletics, Virginia Olympians, current Virginia sports events, Virginia’s greatest sports moments, sports medicine and health, sports media, and more.