The Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club meets each Monday from early September through mid-May. Members arrive beginning at 9:30 a.m. Lunch is served at approximately 11:00 a.m., the program begins at 12:10 p.m., and concludes at 1:00 p.m.
Under this program with the Pro Footballl Hall of Fame, each member of the club will be entitled to free museum admission for one year, Sept. 1-Aug. 31. Also, Malone University and Walsh University offer free admission to their athletic events with your membership card.
Luncheon Club meets each Monday at:
Tozzi's on 12th (4210 12th Street NW)
330-477-7515
Some of the club highlights include:
Top quality speakers from the sports world
35-week schedule
Widely-regarded as the finest luncheon club in the country!
Membership helps support the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Great lunches at affordable prices! ($12.00 for members; $22.00 for guests)
Increased club awareness
Members receive annual admission pass to Hall of Fame
Free admission to Malone College and Walsh University athletic events
Annual golf outing
Memberships for the season remain just $35.00 and are on sale before and after the Monday programs.
For membership information:
Please contact Club Secretary, Jim Lindesmith at 330-452-6138
or
Wade Hostetler, President
Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club
c/o Pro Football Hall of Fame
2121 George Halas Drive NW
Canton, OH 44708
or
To enjoy your membership immediately, you may fill out your application at your first luncheon and give it to Club Secretary Jim Lindesmith along with a check for $35.00 payable to the Hall of Fame Luncheon Club.
Enjoy your membership in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club.
2012-13 Speakers
![Hall of Fame defensive end Jack Youngblood entertained the Hall of Fame Luncheon Club on Sept. 28, 2009. [Photo courtesy of The (Canton) Repository]](/UserFiles/image/Youngblood_Luncheon_Page.jpg)
Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood entertained
the Luncheon Club on Sept. 28, 2009
Sept. 10 - Darrell Hazell - Kent State University head football coach
Sept. 17 - Ken Houston - Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 1986
Sept. 24 - Keri Luchowski - Commissioner, NCAC
Oct. 1 - Jack hazen - USA Olympic Coach
Oct. 8 - Don Cockroft - Former Cleveland Browns kicker, author
Oct. 15 - Dell Robinson - Commissioner, GLIAC
Oct. 22 - Scott Stricklin - Kent State University head men's basketball coach
Oct. 29 - Don Nehlen - Retired West Virginia University head football coach
Nov. 5 - Sam Bourquin, WHBC Sports Director
Nov. 12 - Larry Kehres - University of Mount Union head football coach
Nov. 19 - Sharon and Mike Hargrove
Nov. 26 - Dan Ross - Commissioner, Ohio High School Athletic Association
Dec. 3 - Dirk Hayhurst - Former MLB pitcher and author
Dec. 10 - Jeff Logan - Former Ohio State University football player
Dec. 17 - Dell Robinson - GLIAC Commissioner
Dec. 24 - Dirk Hayhurst, MLB player/Broadcaster
Dec. 31 - Todd Porter - Canton Repository sports writer
Jan 7 - Bob DiBiasio - Vice President, Public Relations at Cleveland Indians
Jan. 14 - Todd Blackledge, ESPN Analyist
Jan. 21 - Dan Coughlin - Sportswriter, author
Jan. 28 - Mike Fuline - University of Mount Union Head Men's Basketball Coach
Feb. 4 - Matt Campbell - Unioversity of Toledo head football coach
Feb. 11 - Sam Rutigliano - Former Cleaveland Browns Head Coach
Feb. 18 - Dustin Fox - Sports radio host
Feb. 25 - Debbie Moore - OHSAA Associate Commissioner
Mar. 4 - Lee Owess - Ashland University head football coach
Mar. 11 - Oliver Luck - West Virginia University Athletic Director
Mar. 18 - Terry Bowden - University of Akron head football coach
Mar. 25 - Urban Meyer - The Ohio State University head football coach
April 1 - Bruce Drennan - Radio and television sportscaster
April 8 - Annual Meeting/East-West game head football coaches
April 18 - Keith Dambrodt - The University of Akron head men's basketball coach
April 22 - TBA
April 29 - Bobby Plump - former Milan High School (Ind.) basketball coach
May 6 - Bob Huggins - West Virginia University head mens basketball coach
May 13 -TBA
History of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club
One of the main reasons why the Pro Football Hall of Fame is in Canton is because of the community spirit and support. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, many cities across the country expressed interest in having a Hall of Fame devoted to professional football. Canton was the only community that put together an impressive fund-raising drive. Nearly $400,000 was raised to have the Hall of Fame built.
At about the same time, former Hall of Fame Chairman Earl Schreiber, after attending the Agonis Luncheon Club in Dayton, Ohio, formed the Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club.
The first meeting of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club was held at Benders Restaurant in downtown Canton in 1963. Soon thereafter, the venue was switched to Lakeshore Restaurant. Membership grew quickly and after using Topp’s Chalet for a short time, the meetings moved to its current site at Tozzi's on 12th Restaurant, just a few miles from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club, with a membership of more than 500, is considered to be one of the largest of its kind in the entire country. Meetings are held each Monday from mid-September through the middle of May. The national prominence of the Hall of Fame, coupled with the strong support of the club, continues to produce a remarkable list of national speakers on a weekly basis.
A club that knows no strangers, members enjoy fellowship, good food, and interesting speakers. Couple that with the enthusiasm of the member audience and for sports fans, the Hall of Fame Luncheon Club is THE place to be on Mondays during the season.
When the luncheon club was formed, the bylaws stipulated that the purpose of the club was to help support the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Originally, that support was reflected by members serving as drivers during Hall of Fame Weekend. The club’s next project focused on devoting a portion of the membership dues to paying for the Hall of Famers’ rings each year. Today, the Balfour Company, that designs the rings, donates the rings each year to the Hall of Fame.
Currently, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club has a new cause to show support for the Hall of Fame. The club will contribute $50,000 over a five-year period to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's national fundraising campaign. In addition, part of the proceeds from the weekly meal sales is used to sponsor the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s “Senior Citizen Day” (62 and older) at the museum. The date for this year’s event is Wednesday October 3, 2012.
Also, Malone University and Walsh University offer free admission to all athletic events with your membership card. Aside from showing support to the Hall of Fame, this sponsorship also attracts attention to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club through media coverage of this splendid event.
In addition, each member of the Luncheon Club will receive an annual pass that will allow the individual unlimited free admission to the Pro Football Hall of Fame throughout the year.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club continues to contribute its support to the Hall of Fame museum while offering first-rate programs each and every week to its members.