DIII at College Football Hall of Fame

D3_DPUFan · February 10, 2009, 09:58:02 AM

I have never been the the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, IN...but one of the days would like to get there. Does anyone know how well (or not so well) Division III football is represented there? Thanks for any knowledge...

Ryan Tipps · February 10, 2009, 11:39:47 PM

I'm originially from South Bend, and my parents still live there. I went to the CFHoF about 10 years ago with my dad (also a Wabash grad), and we were both excited to hunt around for anything related to the D3 Indiana schools.

I don't remember what we specifically found -- or didn't find -- but I definitely remember that we came away disappointed.

That was a decade ago, and things could have changed. At the time, I wasn't there looking at the "big picture" of Division III (e.g. the Mount Unions, Rowans or St. John's' of the country), so there might have been stuff I overlooked.

frank uible · February 11, 2009, 12:04:14 AM

When CFHOF was in Ohio, it featured a number of colleges from the pre-D3 (pre-1973) days, which are now D3 colleges.

HScoach · February 11, 2009, 01:38:59 PM

Mount Union alum Jim Ballard was inducted earlier this year.

http://www2.muc.edu/athletics/athletics_archive/men_s_teams/football/2008_Season/jim_ballard_named_to_college_football_hall_of_fame.aspx

Ryan Tipps · February 11, 2009, 07:49:42 PM

Quote from: hscoach on February 11, 2009, 01:38:59 PM
Mount Union alum Jim Ballard was inducted earlier this year.

http://www2.muc.edu/athletics/athletics_archive/men_s_teams/football/2008_Season/jim_ballard_named_to_college_football_hall_of_fame.aspx

Though some might argue that 2008 was last year.

Kira & Jaxon's Dad · February 11, 2009, 08:20:20 PM

HSCoach is thinking in terms of "School Year" as this is the 2008-2009 Year.

cawcdad · February 14, 2009, 04:03:29 PM

I believe they have a revolving display featuring the D-III national champion. A few years ago some cooleagues went to a game at Notre Dame and visited the CFBHofF and when they saw the Linfield gear and pics on display they took several pictures for me.

d-train · February 17, 2009, 01:32:18 PM

Several legendary coaches there from current D3 schools like Linfield, Pacific Lutheran, Central (IA), and Saint John's.

Ralph Turner · February 24, 2009, 11:21:10 PM

McMurry's Brad Rowland was inducted in 2008.

I wonder if/when former McMurry player/ head coach and now Executive Director of the AFCA Grant Teaff will be inducted.

JT · February 27, 2009, 04:33:11 PM

No Sam Mills. Too bad. He should be in both the College and NFL HOF.

Augie6 · March 04, 2009, 02:16:48 PM

Bob Reade (coach) and Lynn Thomsen (player) from Augustana College were both inducted in the late 1990's as a result of Augie's unprecendented run of national championships in the 1980's.

K-Mack · April 07, 2009, 11:37:23 PM

I've been invited to stop by when I am out that way, so I assume that means there's something for me (us) to see there, and report back to you all on.

Ryan Tipps · November 17, 2009, 11:43:02 PM

Update on this thread.

Ahead of the Monon Bell game, I went to visit family in South Bend. Since the College Football Hall of Fame is counting down its departure from the city to head to greener pastures, I had to go back and see it one more time.

Looking at it for the first time at least a decade, I came away satisfied with the D3 representation.

There was a big display of Gagliardi Trophy winner Greg Micheli, including his jersey and other items. In the "national champions" display, D3 was given equal play with other divisions' title winners. And a big chunk of the background art consised of a super-sized photo of a celebratory Augustana squad, presumably from the 1980s.

Of course, MUC's Jim Ballard had a headshot in there, as did John Gagliardi, and the kiosks made it fairly easy to track down D3 players and coaches -- whether from the current D3 era or the pre-D3 era. There were a lot more teams represented than I expected. The walls thoughout the museum were laden with pennants and banners, and D3 teams were prominently intersperced throughout (Muhlenberg even had two banners up there).

Anyway, that's just my fresh perspective on the Hall. Like I said, I think they did right by D3. Of course I'd like to see more, but considering the public mentality, I was happy.

Let's see how Atlanta steps up to the challenge...

gobash83 · November 17, 2009, 11:59:14 PM

Ryan,

It does sound as if D-III is well represented. When I visited the CFHOF about 5 years ago, they had a display of great college football rivalries that included the Monon Bell game (and one of the mini Monon Bell produced for the 100th game). Did they still have that display as well?

AUPepBand · November 18, 2009, 06:00:27 AM

Quote from: Ryan Tipps on November 17, 2009, 11:43:02 PM
Update on this thread.

Ahead of the Monon Bell game, I went to visit family in South Bend. Since the College Football Hall of Fame is counting down its departure from the city to head to greener pastures, I had to go back and see it one more time.

Looking at it for the first time at least a decade, I came away satisfied with the D3 representation.

There was a big display of Gagliardi Trophy winner Greg Micheli, including his jersey and other items. In the "national champions" display, D3 was given equal play with other divisions' title winners. And a big chunk of the background art consised of a super-sized photo of a celebratory Augustana squad, presumably from the 1980s.

Of course, MUC's Jim Ballard had a headshot in there, as did John Gagliardi, and the kiosks made it fairly easy to track down D3 players and coaches -- whether from the current D3 era or the pre-D3 era. There were a lot more teams represented than I expected. The walls thoughout the museum were laden with pennants and banners, and D3 teams were prominently intersperced throughout (Muhlenberg even had two banners up there).

Anyway, that's just my fresh perspective on the Hall. Like I said, I think they did right by D3. Of course I'd like to see more, but considering the public mentality, I was happy. Let's see how Atlanta steps up to the challenge...

Pep was unaware of plans to move the College Football Hall of Fame. Pep had nominated Alfred (legendary)* Coach Alex Yunevich for induction and, to this day, his name remains on the ballot but, Pep surmises, the fact that his name starts with "Y" he's probably at the bottom of the ballot!

Pep's one and only visit to the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, IN was Sept. 1, 2001 when Pep was en route back from Des Moines, IA where he had flown to pick up the AU Pep Bandwagon (1992 Grand Caravan) that he had purchased "online". As posted elsewhere and more often than most posters care to read, the Bandwagon, with 317,325 miles, is still on the road and made the trip to Rochester for the Saxons' 31-28 win at St. John Fisher that has resulted in Alfred's gaining the NCAA AQ from the E8.

Pep was delighted to see D3 well represented in the Hall of Fame and gave due respect to longtime Ithaca College Coach Jim Butterfield....Wasn't That Fun?

It WAS fun! Pep will be interested in hearing more about a move of the Hall of Fame. Seemed like a good setup in South Bend but they could have used some room for expansion. Incidentally, Pep also got an "unofficial" tour of Notre Dame Stadium while in South Bend, IN that September Saturday in 2001...but that's another story.

On Saxon Warriors!