The Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame opened a new special exhibit at the end of May honoring the more than two dozen Hall of Famers who played in Major League Baseball. Coinciding with Atlanta hosting the 2025 All-Star Game and the two sports shared birth year of 1869, Double Play: Stars of the Gridiron and Diamond features artifacts and photos from the careers of legendary two sport athletes.
The best known are arguably Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders. Jackson (Auburn) had an eight-year career in MLB while also playing part-time in the NFL. Sanders (Florida State) played part-time for the Yankees, Braves, Reds, and Giants while a full-time player in the NFL. Artifacts associated with these two players include Sanders’ jersey from the Braves and Reds and a Jackson Royals jersey. Guests will also learn of the gridiron background of former MVPs Kirk Gibson (Michigan State) and Jackie Jensen (California) in a display case that includes Gibson’s Detroit Tigers jersey and Jensen’s bat from his spectacular 1958 season. A rare 1919 Cincinnati Reds postcard features a picture of Earle “Greasy” Neale (West Virginia Wesleyan), who played in the infamous “Black Sox” Series before embarking on a Hall of Fame coaching career. A collage of photographs and mini sculptures show the careers of Jim Thorpe (Carlisle), Jake Gibbs (Ole Miss), Sam Chapman (California), and Cal Hubbard (Geneva). Hubbard is the only athlete enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Baseball Hall of Fame due to his extraordinary four-decade career as a MLB umpire and official.
The most impactful artifact in the exhibit is the life-size statue of Harry Agganis (Boston University), who played two seasons for the Red Sox before dying tragically at the age of 26. The statue on loan from Boston’s Sports Museum stands next to a case featuring “The Golden Greek’s” football shoulder pads, first baseman’s glove, and bat. Also included is a ball signed by Agganis and the 1955 Boston Red Sox team. An interactive kiosk, a loop video, and several infographics provide numerous stories of note including the 1979 MLB draft in which the Kansas City Royals selected John Elway and Dan Marino, how the 1959 World Series was played at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and how New York’s baseball cathedrals Yankee Stadium and the Polo Grounds were home to some of the most important college football games of all time.
Whether a fan of baseball, football, both or none, a visit to this exhibit will provide guests with an opportunity like no other to learn about the unique connections between college football and Major League Baseball. The exhibition will last until mid-September. Special thanks to the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Boston Sports Museum, Cincinnati Reds, Ilitch Archives, Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, National Baseball Hall of Fame, New York Yankees, Jeff Boujoukos, and the family of Harry Agganis.