CHICAGO HAS BEEN THE HOME TO A NUMBER OF GREAT ATHLETES, SOME OF WHOM ARE
REMEMBERED IN THE CHICAGOLAND
SPORTS HALL OF FAME IN DES
PLAINES.
>> THE ORIGINAL CHICAGO SPORTS
HALL OF FAME WAS LOCATED IN A
RESTAURANT ON EAST ONTARIO
STREET IN CHICAGO.
WHEN THE RESTAURANT CLOSED, THEY
PUT ALL THE MEMORABILIA THEY HAD
IN STORAGE, AND THEN THERE WAS
SOME TROUBLE, GEORGE WHO PLAYED
WITH THE BEARS WAS A GOOD FRIEND
OF FATHER SMITH.
THEY ASKED FATHER SMITH IF THEY
COULD DO SOMETHING WITH ALL THE
STUFF.
IT WAS THE SUMMER HOME OF THE
ARCHBISHOP OF CHICAGO.
WE HAD THESE FIVE ROOMS AND
DECIDED TO MAKE IT THE
CHICAGOLAND SPORTS HALL OF FAME.
IN MAY OF 1996, I CREATED THE
FIRST INVENTORY THEY HAD.
THERE WERE NO RECORDS OF
ANYTHING, OR WHO HAD GIVEN US
WHAT. IN THE FOLLOWING OCTOBER,
WE OPENED THIS FACILITY HERE ON
THE CAMPUS, IN THE BIDDING WE
ARE IN TODAY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DISPLAYS,
MEMORABILIA OF ATHLETES.
WE HAVE INTERACTIVE VIDEO
KIOSKS.
I BELIEVE THERE ARE TEN OF THEM
THAT CONSISTS OF FOUR DIFFERENT
PROGRAMS.
THEY ARE TOUCH SCREEN.
YOU TOUCH THE SCREEN, AND THE
SCREEN REACTS TO YOUR TOUCH.
CAN YOU PICK AND SELECT WHAT YOU
WANT TO VIEW.
THERE IS A BIOGRAPHY OF EVERY
INDUCTEE, AND THERE ARE 225 OF
THOSE.
A LOT OF THE THINGS WE HAVE HAVE
BEEN DONATED BY PEOPLE EITHER
THE ATH -- ATHLETE HIMSELF.
THAT'S NORMAL.
WHEN THEY ARE IN DUCKED, THEY
WILL GIVE US STUFF.
THE JERSEYS HANGING IN THE
CEILING, MIKE DITKAS'S AND
OTHERS.
THOSE ARE DONATED BY THE
ATHLETES.
OTHER THINGS ARE GIVEN TO US OFF
THE WALL.
STATUTE IS WALTER PEYTON,
SWEETNESS.
BROKE EVERY RECORD.
COMMISSIONED BY THE WILSON
SPORTING GOODS COMPANY AND
DONATED BY THE CHICAGO PARK
DISTRICT WHO REALLY DIDN'T HAVE
A HOME FOR IT, DIDN'T KNOW WHERE
TO PUT IT, AND THEY GAVE IT TO
FARE SMITH AT MARYVILLE.
THIS SHOWS WALTER IN ACTION
WHICH FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CAN
REMEMBER HOW TERRIFIC HE WAS.
HE WAS A PIECE OF WORK TO WATCH
ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD.
HE WAS JUST TERRIFIC.
WHOLESTICK FIRST NHL PLAYER TO
SCORE MORE THAN -- GOALS IN
SEASON OF WE HAVE THE HOCKEY
STICK HE USED TO SCORE HIS 51ST
GOAL IN THE SEASON HE BROKE THE
RECORD.
HE IS ONE OF MANY HOCKEY PLAYERS
THAT IS EN SHINED -- ENSHRINED
HERE.
1954 WHITE SOX SHERM LAW LER HAD
A FIVE MONTH STREAK WHERE NOBODY
ON THE OPPOSING TEAM STOLE A
BASE.
THAT'S HOW FAST HE WAS, HOW GOOD
HE WAS AT PUTTING PEOPLE OUT.
HE WAS RECIPIENT OF GOLDEN GLOVE
AWARD. WE HAVE THAT GOLDEN
GLOVE AWARD.
IT IS GIVEN EVERY YEAR BY THE
RAULINGS CORPORATION OUTSTANDING
DEFENSIVE PLAYER.
PROBABLY CHUCK EVANS PUTTER IS
MY FAVORITE PIECE, PROBABLY
BECAUSE I PLAYED GOLF.
I WISH I HAD HIS SKILLS!
CHICK EVANS WAS PROBABLY ONE OF
THE, IF NOT THE MOST FAMOUS
AMATEUR GOLFER IN THE WORLD.
HE PLAYED ON THE WALKER CUP
SEVERAL TIMES.
HE PLAYED IN PRO AMS QUITE
FREQUENTLY.
HE WON A HUGE NUMBER OF
TOURNAMENTS, AND NEVER MADE A
NICKEL DOING IT.
HE WAS NEVER A PROFESSIONAL
GOLFER.
PLAYED AS AND AIM TURE.
IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANYTHING
YOU WILL SEE TODAY.
THE HANDLE IS WRAPPED, AND
COMING OFF, LOOKS LIKE A BLOCK
OF ALUMINUM ON A STICK.
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR INDUCTION
IN THE CHICAGOLAND SPORTS HALL
OF FAIL, YOU HAVE TO HAVE LIVED
IN CHICAGO, PLAYED IN CHICAGO,
ACTIVE IN CHICAGO SOME WAY, AND
IT IS CHICAGOLAND AREA TSMS NOT
RESTRICTED TO THE CITY OF
CHICAGO ITSELF.
SO A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE LIVED
IN THE SUBURBS, WERE RAISED IN
THE SUBURBS. THERE IS NO
REQUIREMENT ON LENGTH OF TIME,
LIKE THERE ARE FOR COOPERSTOWN
OR OTHER HALLS OF FAME.
BUT YOU HAVE TO BE OUT OF THE
SPORT.
IT IS NOT BASED ON YOUR FAME OR
EARNING POWER.
IT IS BASED WHAT WE THINK YOUR
CONTRIBUTION TO THE SPORT WAS.
I THINK ANN BURKE IS GOOD
EXAMPLE OF THAT.
SHE IS A JUDGE IN COOK COUNTY.
SHE STARTED THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS
IN THE CHICAGO AREA.
WE TRIED TO HONOR PEOPLE LIKE
THAT FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO
SPORT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A RICH AND
FAMOUS ATHLETE TO BE INDUCTED.
THERE IS NO ADMISSION CHAR.
WE ARE LOCATED ON THE GROUNDS AT
MARY VILLA CAD MI IN DES
PLAINES, ILLINOIS.
THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME.
WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU COME.
TO REACH THE CHICAGOLAND HALL OF FAME (847)294-1700.