Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
Established 1957
Location Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Type Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
Website

The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, dedicated to the history of sports within the province. It was created in 1957 by the Alberta Amateur Athletic Union (AAAU).[1] The museum was eventually taken over by Sport Alberta in 1973 when the AAAU ceased operations.[2] It has been maintained by the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum Society since 1997.[1] The first permanent display for the Hall of Fame was established in Edmonton in 1962.[3] The museum relocated between Edmonton and Calgary on numerous occasions until settling in Red Deer in 1999.[1]

Induction

Induction was originally limited to amateur athletes. In 1979, eligibility was also extended to professional athletes.[1] In the Hall's early years, winners of major international competitions were automatic qualifiers for entry.[2] However, that practice was ended by 1981 as part of a general tightening of induction criteria for such halls of fame across Canada. At that time, the maximum number of inductions was limited to seven athletes or teams per year.[4] Inductees are divided into several categories such as athletes, teams, builders and pioneers. The provincial sports media members were also given the Bell Memorial Award[5]

The first inductees, in 1958, were boxers Charles Cheesman, Wilf Greaves and Hugh Sloan, and track athlete George Sutherland.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Not your typical museum". Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Hall has new custodian". Calgary Herald. 1973-03-20. p. 56. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  3. "District sports review". Calgary Herald. 1964-09-12. p. 6. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  4. Slade, Daryl (1981-05-21). "Sport Alberta seeks 'angel' for its hall". Calgary Herald. p. C17. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  5. "Honoured members". Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved 2012-02-29.