Texas Sports Hall of Fame offers interactive experience with sports legends
Special to Leader-Press
Former Baylor University quarterback Robert Griffin III, the first player in Baylor history to win the Heisman Trophy, has a featured exhibit in the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco.
Griffin, along with more than 300 native sports legends from soccer to gymnastics, are highlighted in the 35,000 square foot museum that is planning a second expansion later this year. The renowned museum hosted the Copperas Cove Five Hills royalty for a private tour to learn more about sports history in the Lone Star State.
Copperas Cove Five Hills Junior Ambassador Hayley Sawyer said the museum is a “must see.”
“I especially love the rodeo section. Standing next to the same saddles that were used to win championships makes me want to get on a horse and start practicing,” Sawyer said. “Hard work and determination pays off and you can definitely see evidence of that dedication in the Hall of Fame.”
In addition to the Hall of Fame, the facility also hosts the Texas Tennis Museum and Texas High School Football Hall of Fame. Young Miss Five Hills Elise Fuselier plays a variety of sports and enjoyed learning about the history of the game.
“My favorite exhibit was the Tom Landry Theater. It was my favorite because, like my father, I’m a (Dallas) Cowboys fan,” Fuselier said. “I also really enjoyed the tennis exhibit. I am a tennis player, so I loved reading about all the history of the sport.”
While her brother, Noah, most enjoyed the football exhibit, Preteen Miss Five Hills Romella Spitzer enjoyed seeing her hometown featured in the museum.
“I love how the museum shows what high school students won in their sports and am so excited to see we had a Cove football player there in the hall of fame,” the 10-year old said. “I always thought Texas was only about football. I am happy to see that they have other sports here to see.”
Senior Ms. Five Hills Dawn Hale said the museum brought back memories of her younger years when she was an athlete.
“My favorite part are the baseball and bowling sections as those are two sports I grew up playing,” Hale said. “If you haven’t visited before, this is truly a place to visit with the family and your budding future sports legends.”
The Texas Sports Hall of Fame opened in 1951 and offers more than 4,000 pieces of memorabilia for visitors to enjoy. Its hours of operation are Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.