San Diego Hall of Champions

Introduction

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The San Diego Hall of Champions is the nation's largest multi-sport museum. It boasts three levels of memorabilia and a whopping 68,000 square feet. Located in San Diego's Balboa Park, the Hall of Champions was derived from the concept of the Breitbard Athletic Foundation. The San Diego Hall of Champions recognizes San Diego’s most outstanding athletic accomplishments. Well-known athletes such as Ted Williams, Tony Gwynn, Bill Walton, and many more are honored in the Breitbard Hall of Fame.

Images

The inside of the San Diego Hall of Champions. Photo by balboapark.org.

The outside of the San Diego Hall of Champions. Photo by inetours.com

Backstory and Context

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This Federal Building is the third home to the Hall of Champions. In 1959, Robert Breitbard arranged for space in Balboa Park. He established the hall of Champions as a non-profit sports museum available to all members of the community. The very first home was opened in 1961 in the House of Charm at the southwest corner of Balboa Park. Athletes such as Tony Clark, Ladainian Tomlinson, and Chris Chambliss are all featured in the Hall of Fame.

The Breitbard Hall of Fame, established in 1953 by Robert Breitbard, honors athletes who have excelled in athletics in San Diego or those whom are native San Diegans and have achieved athletic fame elsewhere. Boasting with community pride, the Breitbard Hall of Fame has inducted 140 members representing 20 different sports since 1953. The Hall of Fame’s charter member is Harold “Brick” Muller, a standout for the “Wonder Boy” Cal Berkeley football teams of 1920, 1921 & 1922.

New members are inducted into the Hall of Fame each February at the Salute to the Champions dinner. The Breitbard Hall of Fame stemmed from the Breitbard Athletic Foundation, which was founded in 1946. After initially awarding only "Stars of the Month", and then eventually "Stars of the Year", the Foundation decided upon a career achievement award, which gave birth to the Breitbard Hall of Fame. To be inducted into the Breitbard Hall of Fame is the ultimate accolade for a local San Diegan athlete.

Sources

"About Us." San Diego Hall of Champions. Accessed May 7, 2015. http://www.sdhoc.com/awards/salute-to-the-champions.