Growing pains for the Hall

Sep 9, 2014

Wisconsin’s Mary Connell is learning some Alaska sports history, including Mount Marathon.Connell is among the visitors to the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame.“It’s interesting,” says Connell, who is in Alaska for a job. “But the fact that it’s just plaques makes it kind of underwhelming.”The Alaska Sports Hall of Fame is home to 27 of Alaska’s greatest names in Alaska sports history and highlights those who reached the top of their sports.Where you can find them is rather unique because the hall is located on the ground floor of the north terminal at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. The hall of fame was established in 2006, but may now have to find a new home.

The hall is experiencing growing pains, said Harlow Robinson, the hall’s executive director. This is a problem since the display recognizes the special moments that help make Alaska great, such as the first winter ascent of Denali.

“I think people find that they didn’t realize how many great athletes, how many great moments and events there are in this state and how diverse it is,” Robinson said.

However, the hall does not have any more room to recognize the future inductees.

“It’s given us a ton of visibility,” Robinson said. “People are familiar with us, they are familiar with our inductees. This has been a perfect stepping stone — this is our home.”

Maybe not for much longer. The hall would like to have its own building somewhere in Anchorage.

However, it is not opposed to remaining in the airport, if it gets the right amount of space. There’s no word yet if and when the hall of fame could move.

– By Dave Leval/KTVA Channel 11, Anchorage

View story here: http://www.ktva.com/growing-pains-could-force-alaska-sports-hall-of-fame-to-move-319/