A new, state-of-the-art building dedicated to the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame has been announced by founder/president Greg Marecek.

Marecek, Founders Club chairman Dr. Rick Lehman and the board of directors presented a rendering of the visionary new downtown structure.  “For the city of St. Louis, this hall of fame will be a major new attraction that brings St. Louis’ esteemed history and spirit of sport onto a national stage,” Marecek said. “It will be a boon to tourism and a magnet for local groups and tours as it will constantly be hosting special events.”

Construction activity is underway for Cardinals Nation and the new St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum. The museum and hall of fame will occupy almost 8,000 square feet on the second floor.

The museum design process is in full swing. The baseball offseason won’t be much of an offseason for the Cardinals museum team as it sets to open the doors to the new venue in April of 2014.

The seating decks visible in the photo to the right on the rooftop and third floor will offer a great view into the ballpark for 320 fans per game. Fans that purchase a ticket to watch a game from those seats will receive admission to the museum as part of their all-inclusive experience.

On July 19, 2013, the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled the first phase of the Legacy Brick Campaign. This campaign allows fans to cement their legacy at Great American Ballpark. The first bricks were laid in The Hall of Fame Breezeway surrounding the Johnny Bench statue. This is one of the main entrances to the ballpark.

“Attending a game at the ballpark has a special meaning and is a place where memories are made and families and friends connect,” said Reds Hall of Fame executive director Rick Walls. “Participating in the brick campaign will allow fans to celebrate an important day or moment, recognize a special person in their life or record a memory while at the same time supporting a worthy cause.”

The proceeds of the Legacy Brick Campaign support The Hall of Fame’s statue project. These donations will help fund the statues of Reds legends around the ballpark. The next statue, Reds legend Joe Morgan, is set to be unveiled Sept. 7, 2013.

The International Tennis Hall of  Fame and Museum in Newport, R.I., has embarked on an extensive capital campaign with the goals of creating a cohesive campus and world-class tennis facility and offering an enhanced experience for visitors and the local community, all while supporting the organization’s mission of preserving the history of tennis and promoting the sport. The four primary focus areas of the campaign are to upgrade the museum with new technology and enhanced exhibitions; to add additional tennis courts and facilities; to improve campus-wide amenities including upgrades to the tennis stadium; and to strategically expand the hall of fame’s footprint. It has been 12 years since the organization has led a major capital campaign. To accomplish the project’s objectives, the campaign has a $15.7 million goal.

The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum raised $37,000 in August at its 21st Annual Fundraising Golf Tournament. The funds raised came via sponsorships, golfers and a silent auction. The 144 golfers battled rainy conditions but braved through for a day of golf and fun.

The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame opened its doors in 1999 in Knoxville, Tenn., and back in June it added six new members to its Hall of Fame.

The Class of 2013 included Coach Gary Blair, Coach Jim Foster, Peggie Gillon-Granderson, Jennifer Rizzotti, Annette Smith-Knight and Sue Wicks.

A gala reception hosted by Geno Auriemma and Holly Warlick preceded the event. The official induction ceremony was held at the Bijou Theatre and was hosted by Debbie Antonelli. The Hall of Fame also paid tribute to the Wayland Baptist Flying Queens for their contributions to the game from 1953-1958, during which time they won four AAU national titles and 131 consecutive games.

The class of 2014 was announced in July and includes Coach Lin Dunn, Michelle Edwards, Yolanda Griffith, Jasmina Perazic and Charlotte West. The 1976 USA Olympics silver-medal winning women’s basketball team will also be honored on June 14, 2014.

The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon opened a new STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) interactive in August titled By The Numbers, which allows guests to stand at one of two touch screen kiosks facing a 60-inch wall-mounted monitor and attempt to complete a pass or successfully kick a field goal. The user will input data such as force, spin and angles and then watch to see if they successfully completed the pass or converted the field goal.

The Hall also opened a new exhibit titled, The Cover Boys — The Patriots on the Cover of Sports Illustrated. The exhibit includes more than 50 SI cover images, including all 17 that feature quarterback Tom Brady. The first Patriot to appear on the cover was running back Jim Nance during his 1966 American Football League MVP season. Between 1966 and 2002, the Patriots were featured on the cover only four times, but have been regulars since winning their first of three Super Bowl titles on Feb. 3, 2002.  In addition to game-worn artifacts, the exhibit also features behind-the-scenes video of two SI cover shoots — one featuring the team’s 2007 linebackers — Tedy Bruschi, Rosevelt Colvin, Mike Vrabel, Junior Seau and Adalius Thomas — and the other a shoot for Brady’s Sportsman of the Year cover.

Guests visiting The Hall’s exhibit galleries on the venue’s third floor are now greeted by a renovated entrance — a new helmet tunnel that resembles the tunnel and inflatable helmet the Patriots use to enter Gillette Stadium on game day. The tunnel was installed just before the start of training camp in July and has been a popular photo spot for Hall guests.

The World of Little League®: Peter J. McGovern Museum and Official Store in South Williamsport, Pa., is a hit since it reopened to the public on June 15, 2013, after a $4.3 million renovation project.

Designed around a six-inning concept, the new museum brings together all local leagues while sharing the Little League experience with visitors from around the world.
A uniform worn by Babe Ruth is a major drawing card. The uniform is from the only international barnstorming tour that Ruth made. Worn in 1934 as part of the All-American team visiting Japan, this is the first time the uniform is on public display. There are three pieces to the uniform – jersey, pants and stirrup socks. It is considered by some to be the one of the most important collectible sports memorabilia items in the world. On loan, the donor wishes to remain anonymous.

Babe Ruth’s granddaughter, Linda Ruth Tossetti, visited the World of Little League shortly after it opened to see the uniform for the first time. She shared anecdotes about her grandfather’s trip to Japan.

The museum also features rare items from the collection of the Carl E. Stotz family. Mr. Stotz founded the Little League® program in 1939. Artifacts include a home plate carved from a piece of rubber and the knife that was broken while creating it; the original hand-sewn first base with excelsior stuffing; and a child’s sand bucket used to collect donations during games, among other items.

The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame and the Rocky Mountain skyline await ISHA delegates for the 43rd annual ISHA conference.

“We are excited to welcome the ISHA membership to Denver,” said Laura Gee, the marketing & tour director at the Colorado Hall. “The conference committee has worked diligently to prepare and the planned sessions will definitely benefit the delegates as we all strive to learn and improve upon how we tackle the day-to-day challenges we face in the industry.”

The opening session on Wednesday, Oct. 16 delves into the process of connecting visitors with the artifacts on display through storytelling. The written word may no longer be enough to make that connection in a society that depends on ever-improving technology and interactivity. Day one of the conference ends with an open forum and a session on LED lighting, energy savings and sustainability.

The Welcome Reception Wednesday evening will be held at the National Ballpark Museum and include a tour of Coors Field, home to Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies.

Thursday, Oct. 17 begins with a session on honoring the less than honorable with Denver Broncos vice president of corporate communications Jim Saccamano presenting. Athletes that have fallen from grace might still deserve recognition for their on-field performances, yet honoring those athletes can be a touchy subject.

Museum construction is next on the docket and more than one ISHA delegate is currently in the midst of a major project — the San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Cardinals to name two.
The final Thursday session will hit home with many institutions — How to Advertise with No Money. There are many avenues for institutions to spread their message without buying air time on the Super Bowl broadcast; this session will tell you how.

The Evening of Champions dinner will be held at Sports Authority Field at Mile High with speaker Charles Sampson, a Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer.

The Farewell Lunch Speaker on Oct. 18 will be Lacey Henderson, who lost a leg to cancer at age 9 and is currently training for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.