The Pro Football Hall of Fame is filled to the brim with iconic players and coaches throughout time.
There is more than that, however. Artifacts attached to moments that took place to create the “Where were you when?” questions are also displayed in Canton.
Here are some of the more random ones:
Harold “Red” Grange Doll
Hope dolls don’t scare you.
Designed after the very fast running back Harold “Red” Grange, this doll played a bigger role than just looking like a football player. It began NFL player endorsements.
Here is a picture of the @ProFootballHOF ca. 1926 Harold “Red” Grange doll before it was restored. Grange was the first professional football player to seize on merchandising. #PFHOF #CURATORBATTLE pic.twitter.com/mkKcITzsUU
— Jason Aikens (@jason_aikens) April 24, 2020
What started as a doll turned into business deals and candy bars to show the celebrity aspect for the players off the field.
A bag of hair
Yes, a bag of hair.
Hall of Fame running back Edgerrin James chose to donate his dreadlocks in 2020 after his induction. Why? Well, according to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell, it was symbolic of what it meant to be a teammate.
In 2003, a player’s hair was considered to be a part of the uniform which meant pulling on hair was considered a legal tackle.
This hair belonged to @EdgerrinJames, who cut it after being tackled by his hair during the @Colts‘ 2003 season home-opener against the Cleveland Browns.
More: https://t.co/8iB6G6qggt#PFHOF20 pic.twitter.com/SsfFY9mleP
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) May 22, 2020
“It was a business decision,” he told reporters later. “I’m out here to play football. But when they grabbed my hair, that made me rethink. I instantly gave in right there. I can’t go through that all year. So I just thought that it would be best for me to go ahead and chop it off.”
A typewriter
And not just any typewriter, either. This baby belonged to former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle. It’s from his office at the NFL headquarters.
According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he used this typewriter throughout his career. A career that dubbed him the best commissioner of any professional league.
NFL 95: Pete Rozelle’s Typewriter: http://t.co/zJW4K2QHsG pic.twitter.com/v6fLPPyFLI
— The MMQB (@theMMQB) June 11, 2014
A piece of turf
You know they wouldn’t keep a piece of artificial turf if it wasn’t valuable. You can’t get more valuable than the “Immaculate Reception.”
It’s one of the most famous plays in NFL history. In 1972, with the Pittsburgh Steelers trailing 7-6 against the Oakland Raiders, quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw a pass to running back John Fuqua as 22 seconds were left on the clock,
The ball bounced off the helmet of Raiders safety Jack Tatum when Steelers fullback Franco Harris caught it just before it fell to the ground. Harris ran for the game-winning touchdown.
The turf was taken from Three Rivers Stadium.
An AFL document
The AFL was established in 1959 to compete with the NFL after Lamar Hunt discussed his intentions of forming a second league.
June 8, 1966 (Wednesday)
NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle, Cowboys President Tex Schramm and AFL Founder Lamar Hunt announced the NFL and AFL merger. 📜
Warwick Hotel🏨 pic.twitter.com/JcPbxP5uWl
— AFL Godfather 👓🏴☠️🔥 (@NFLMAVERICK) June 8, 2024
According to the Topeka Capital-Journal, the document for the AFL was written by Hunt on a piece of American Airlines stationary during a flight from Miami, Fla.
