Hall of Fame opens ‘Stark County Proud!’ exhibit

Mark Murphy played in National Football League stadiums across the country. No matter where he traveled, though, his appreciation and love for home never diminished.

“The history of this area is fantastic. Some of the guys I played against, like [Dan] Dierdorf, you see them here. The history of Stark County and what it’s about,” he said Friday. “It’s special.”

Murphy, a graduate of GlenOak High School — only a few miles from the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s front door — and an NFL veteran of 147 games with the Green Bay Packers, was among the assembled crowd as the museum opened a new exhibit to highlight the 100-plus players, coaches and contributors to the game who, like Murphy, trace their roots to Stark County.

“Stark County Proud!” recognizes the profound influence those individuals made on the game of professional football from its formative years go to the present day.

“ ‘Stark County Proud!’ is the Hall of Fame’s way of saying ‘thank you’ to the individuals from this area who have contributed not only to the game on the field but also to those who dedicated themselves to the formation and building of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Museum more than 60 years ago, making it a national landmark in our community,” said Jim Porter, president & CEO of the Hall. “Football has been woven into the fabric of Stark County for more than a century, and this exhibit will tap into that nostalgia while also celebrating players from today who are contributing to the sport we love.”

Fittingly, the centerpieces of the “Stark County Proud!” exhibit are the centerpieces of the Hall of Fame’s museum: Bronze Busts. The likenesses of PAUL BROWN, LEN DAWSON, DAN DIERDORF, MARION MOTLEY and ALAN PAGE sit front and center in the exhibit, with each Hall of Famer also receiving a dedicated display showcasing artifacts from their storied careers. 

The exhibit also features why the Pro Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton, the people who made the Hall possible and an interactive kiosk highlighting the 97 men who played high school football in Stark County and later stepped on an NFL field for at least one regular-season game in their careers.

Lisa Gissendaner, cousin of Hall of Famer Alan Page, was on hand for the grand opening and spoke on what it meant to her to be there and see her family represented. 

“It’s just a great honor and a privilege and a great representation of our family,” she said. When asked for one word to describe the moment, she replied, fittingly for the events of the day: “Proud.” 

Guests can experience “Stark County Proud!” as part of their regular admission to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Christmas Eve (9 to 1) and Christmas Day (closed), until next Thanksgiving. 

All residents of Stark County can enjoy half-price admission with proof of residency through Feb. 28. The exhibit will run into the month of March.

To plan a trip to the Hall of Fame, click here.