Hall of Fame Luncheon Club

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 a.m., the program begins at noon and concludes about 1 p.m. 

Under this program with the Pro Football 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, the University of Mount Union and Walsh University offer free admission to their regular-season athletic events with your membership card. 

Luncheon Club meets Mondays
at Tozzi's on 12th* (4210 12th Street NW)

330-477-7515

(* Meetings held elsewhere noted on schedule.)

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! ($17 for members; $22 for non-members)
• Increased club awareness
• Members receive annual admission pass to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Free admission to Malone College, University of Mount Union and Walsh University athletic events
• Annual golf outing
• Discount of 25% at Hall of Fame Retail Store

Memberships for the season remain only $40 and are on sale before and after the Monday programs.
 

For membership information:
 

Please contact Club Secretary Jim Lindesmith at 330-452-6138

or

Please contact Speaker Committee Chairman R. J. Van Almen at 330-685-4605

or

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 $40 payable to the Hall of Fame Luncheon Club.

Enjoy your membership in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club.
 

2024-25 Speakers

September

9: Jim Tressel (5x national champion football coach, 8x national Coach of the Year)

16: Dave Oates (Stark County Golf Hall of Fame, 7x SCAGA champion)

23: TBD

30: Carlin Isles (2x Olympian in rugby)

October

7: Jeff Shreve (Cleveland Browns PA anouncer)

14: Aiden Longwell (Colorado Rockies)

21: Becca Moore (author and coach)

28: TBD -- Pro Football Hall of Famer at the Hall of Fame, Nash Family Event & Conference Center

November

4: Gerald Cadogan (Athletic Director at Shawnee State University)

11: Michael Roderick (Embrace The First Step)

18: Mike Fuline (Head coach, men's basketball, at Mount Union)

25: TBD -- Pro Football Hall of Famer at the Hall of Fame, Nash Family Event & Conference Center

December

2: Doug Ute (executive Director of OHSAA)

9: Kia Zolgharnain (Canton Invaders)

16: Rich Micelli (CEO of YMCA)

23: TBD -- Pro Football Hall of Famer at the Hall of Fame, Nash Family Event & Conference Center

30: Pamela Davis (Ohio basketball hall of famer)

January

6: Joe Scalzo (Crain's Cleveland)

13: Kevin Spencer (former coach in NFL)

20: Jack Giambrone (expert on Vince Lombardi and collector of Lombardi memorabilia)

27: TBD -- Pro Football Hall of Famer at the Hall of Fame, Nash Family Event & Conference Center

February

3: Zach Michael (Athletic Director at Fairless High School)

10: Lamont Robinson (National High School Football Hall of Fame)

17: OPEN

24: OPEN

March

3: Jeromiah Graves (Gravedigger Report)

10: Lester Sanders

17: Rod Strata (Spartan Sports)

24: Denny Hazen (Cleveland Browns Sideline Camera)

31: OPEN

April

7: OPEN

14: OPEN

21: OPEN

28: OPEN

May

OPEN

OPEN

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 fundraising drive. Nearly $400,000 was raised to have the Pro Football Hall of Fame built.

About the same time, former Hall of Fame Board Chairman Earl Schreiber — joined by Hank Critchfield, Lin Houston, Red Ryan, Joe Cross, Harry Van Almen, Wilbur Jacobs, Peach Thomas and Bob 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, meetings moved to the current site at Tozzi's on 12th restaurant, only a few miles from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club, with more than 500 members, is considered one of the largest of its kind in the 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 sports fans and 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 the Hall of Fame's Enshrinement Weekend. The club’s next project focused on devoting a portion of the membership dues to help pay for the Hall of Famers’ rings, and the club also pledged $50,000 over a five-year period to the Hall's national fundraising campaign.

Part of the proceeds from the weekly meal sales also is used to sponsor the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s “Seniors Day” (62 and older) on Tuesdays at the museum.

Malone University, the University of Mount Union and Walsh University offer free admission to regular-season athletic events with a current Luncheon Club 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 and a 25% discount at the Hall's Retail Store.

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.

 

Current Board:  2024-2025

Board of Directors

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