EDITORIAL: Texas Sports Hall of Fame unveils new wing on Southwest Conference
The Texas Sports Hall of Fame today unveils its $5 million expansion, which includes a new Southwest Conference exhibit that will nearly double the museum’s size.
If we weren’t doubly proud to host this museum in Waco before, we sure are now.
What a potential boom to our local economy to be able to offer such a comprehensive museum that pays tribute to the state’s best and most memorable athletes and teams.
The Southwest Conference display features a sports library named after the Trib’s former sports editor, the legendary Dave Campbell. The wing also touts a room for health and fitness education and a “great hall” that seats 400 with a catering kitchen.
These new digs are worth a look by corporations and businesses that want to impress clients and employees by hosting retreats or events in this energetic atmosphere.
Universities also should come to marvel at the Southwest Conference displays, which museum executive director Steve Fallon told the Trib makes this museum unique. “There is no other state sports of fame or any hall of fame that we know of that memorializes an entire conference,” he said.
Separate displays from each school within the conference are featured, including the University of Texas, University of Arkansas, Texas Tech, the University of Houston, Baylor, Rice, Texas Christian, Texas A&M and Southern Methodist University.
The conference was formed in 1914 but disbanded in 1996 partly because larger universities in the league wanted to realign to capture a larger TV viewing audience.
The museum has recaptured the essence of that sports era and preserved it for all to see in the new 19,000-square-foot wing.
This was made possible due to generous donations from 21 foundations statewide including local groups such as the Cooper Foundation, Rapoport Foundation, Waco Foundation and Baylor-Waco Foundation.
Since 1993, the Hall of Fame has been a source of great pride for Waco. Admission is free today from 1 to 5 p.m., so come see for yourself why this museum is so admired by sports enthusiasts from all over.
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