Hall of fame is a museum honoring people who have gained fame in a particular field. One of the best-known halls of fame is the Hall of Fame for Great Americans in New York City. The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and other institutions pay tribute to great athletes. Halls of fame also honor achievements in a number of other fields.
The Hall of Fame for Great Americans
is a memorial to Americans who have gained lasting fame for their great achievements. The Hall commemorates men and women in many fields of American life. Members represent such areas as the presidency (Abraham Lincoln), literature (Mark Twain), inventions (Thomas Alva Edison), science (Louis Agassiz), humanitarian work (Jane Addams), fine arts (Gilbert Stuart), music (Stephen Foster), law (Louis Brandeis), and education (Emma Willard).
The building is a semicircular, covered, outdoor corridor, 630 feet (192 meters) long and a little over 10 feet (3 meters) wide. Between granite columns there are 102 spaces for bronze busts of persons elected to the Hall of Fame. Beneath each bust is a bronze tablet bearing the name, dates of birth and death, and a quotation from the honored person. The structure was designed by the American architect Stanford White about 1900.
The Hall of Fame for Great Americans was founded in 1900 by New York University. In 1974, the university transferred responsibility for the hall to a newly organized board of trustees. Elections were suspended indefinitely in 1977 because of a lack of money. But the Hall of Fame remained open to visitors. It is on the campus of Bronx Community College in New York City.
Sports halls of fame
honor great athletes of the past. The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, pays tribute to great baseball figures from the major and Negro leagues. See the Baseball article for a list of players in the baseball hall of fame. The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, is dedicated to athletes, coaches, and others who helped develop and promote professional football. The College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta commemorates the most significant players, coaches, and games throughout the history of college football. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, pays tribute to players, coaches, and others who had a major impact on professional, college, or high school basketball. The Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto honors players and other individuals who made important contributions to the sport. The NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, honors drivers and other individuals who have played major roles in stock car racing. Bowling, boxing, golf, skiing, and tennis organizations also elect important persons to their halls of fame.
Other halls of fame
honor people in professional and other groups. The Hall of Immortals in the International Museum of Surgical Science in Chicago honors great surgeons and scientists. The National Agricultural Hall of Fame in Bonner Springs, Kansas, honors those who have contributed significantly to farming. The National Hall of Fame for Famous American Indians is in Anadarko, Oklahoma. The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, houses the Rodeo Hall of Fame, the Hall of Great Westerners, and the Hall of Great Western Performers. The National Black Sports and Entertainment Hall of Fame is in New York City. The National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York, honors great American women. The International Space Hall of Fame in Alamogordo, New Mexico, honors pioneers in space travel.
