AFA HOSTS SUCCESSFUL 25TH ANNUAL SEMI-PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME DINNER

The American Football Association hosted a very successful Silver Anniversary Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Dinner at the Oakbrook Terrace Hilton Suites/Drury Lane Conference Center on Saturday, June 4th in conjunction with its 2005 National Semi-Pro Football Convention/Seminar/Trade Show.

“It only seems fitting that we took our Hall of Fame Induction Dinner back to the Chicagoland area where we gave birth to the American Football Association two and a half decades ago in 1980,” said the AFA president and Hall of Fame founder, Ron Real. “While we moved the AFA national headquarters from Oakbrook, Illinois to Sarasota, Florida 10 years ago, it made sense to celebrate our 25th anniversary back in the city where it all began. Ironically, this years induction dinner was held at the Oakbrook Terrace Hilton Suites/Drury Lane Convention Center right next door to where the AFA national office was located more than 10 years ago”, added Real.

The Silver Anniversary 25 year Reunion ‘Huddle’ cocktail party, held at the Hilton Suites on Friday evening (June 3rd) for all those previously enshrined into the AFA’s unique semi-pro football brotherhood, provided an opportunity to network with old friends.

Saturday morning (June 4th) found team and league Representatives attending a convention and seminar specifically geared to the semi-pro level of the sport. Seminar speakers consisted of AFA Hall of Fame ‘Legends’ who have been very successful on the semi-pro level. These ‘Legends’ shared experiences with their peers and reaffirmed their
commitment to being “Semi Pro and Proud”.

The trade show portion of the AFA convention provided an excellent opportunity for many team and league decision makers (team presidents/owners, GM’s, league commissioners) to network with companies familiar in football circles such as Wilson Sporting Goods, Adams USA, Neuman Gloves, Jostens Championship Rings & Awards, DJ Orthopedics, Cutter Gloves, Immersionware and Sadler Sports Insurance Company.

Special Guest Dinner Speaker was Hub Arkush - Publisher of Pro Football Weekly and Nationally Syndicated Radio/TV Sports Show Celebrity. Hub was very instrumental in helping the AFA get established 25 years ago and the Arkush Cup was named after his late father, Arthur, who founded Pro Football Weekly and was a true supporter of semi-pro/minor league football prior to his untimely death in 1978.

During the induction dinner, a record number of inductees were enshrined into this years hall of fame class. With 39 new inductees accepting their Hall of Fame ‘Legends’ plaques and their AFA/HOF “Semi-Pro and Proud” commemorative rings - the AFA Hall of Fame total membership has now reached the 500 mark.

Of the 39 new inductees honored, 14 acquired their semi-pro reputations on football fields in Illinois while another 5 gained their peer popularity in Wisconsin. The AFA’s birth state (Illinois) now leads the nation in the number of total inductees over the past 25 years with 88. Pennsylvania is second with 62 enshrinees while Ohio has 44 - followed closely by New York with 33, Massachusetts 31, Wisconsin 30 and California’s 27.

We express appreciation to all who attended and supported this weekend of events as it was a great time shared by all. By the way, if you have event photos that you would like to include in our on line photo album, just email them to amerfoot@aol.com.

2005 American Football Assoc Hall of Fame Photo Album