On September 7, 1963, the Pro Football Hall of Fame was dedicated and opened to the public in Canton, Ohio. The occasion included the enshrinement of a 17-member charter class that honored foundational figures in professional football, including Jim Thorpe, George Halas, Curly Lambeau, and Red Grange.
Canton was selected in part because it played a central role in the sport’s early organization. On September 17, 1920, representatives of professional teams met in Ralph Hay’s Jordan and Hupmobile automobile showroom in Canton to formalize the American Professional Football Association, which became the National Football League in 1922.
Since its opening, the Hall has preserved artifacts, records, and stories from professional football and has become the focal point of an annual enshrinement celebration and preseason Hall of Fame Game.
