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Volume 5, No. 19
Like most museums, the Texas A&M Sports Museum and Hall of Fame honors the past. But this particular museum, which is scheduled to officially open early in the spring semester of 2001, also paints an extremely bright picture of Texas A&M’s future potential.
"I can’t wait for a recruit in any sport to walk through this museum and get a feel of how far Texas A&M has come over the years," said John David Crow, the athletic department’s director of development. "I think it will be a major recruiting tool we will use for generations to come. It’s really very impressive." Indeed, it is. And although it is not yet fully completed, the museum, a project of the Lettermen’s Association in cooperation with the 12th Man Foundation, is already drawing rave reviews. "There’s no question that the results are better than I could have imagined, especially considering the space we had," said A&M athletic director Wally Groff. "I thought the museum contractor utilized the space in a fantastic way. "I think it’s a facility that is long overdue. We are very excited about what it can mean to all of our sports. It will be a must stop for the coaches in all of the sports when they have recruits on campus." While space is limited, the museum, which is located on the first floor of The Bernard C. Richardson Zone at Kyle Field, focuses on all the sports at Texas A&M. The museum contains numerous photos and some outstanding memorabilia of Texas A&M’s past. And to make the best use of space, it also features interactive sets that allow visitors to see memorable plays and dramatic moments in a variety of sports. At the front of the museum, two terminals also enable visitors to type in the name of a former player, and it will bring up photographs and information about that athlete. Potentially, those interactives can have 6,000 to 7,000 athletes in the database. "This is really a special museum that is going to be a source of pride for all fans of Texas A&M athletics," said Bill Griggs, the president of Southwest Museum Services. "I’ve obviously seen a lot of sports museums, but none of them I’ve seen compare to what we’ve done at Texas A&M." The A&M Sports Museum and Hall of fame is also unique in its funding. All of the necessary resources for the project were raised by former athletes.
"It’s all been paid for by Texas A&M lettermen," said Cathy Capps, the recently appointed sports museum manager. "From what we understand, this is the only museum of its kind because it is funded totally by the former athletes. And it is being presented as a gift back to the athletic department for what the athletes received when they were here at Texas A&M. "I don’t know in the beginning (of the planning for the museum) if it was something anyone thought that we could really pull off. But so many people have stepped forward over the last three years. The Lettermen’s Association membership is higher now than it has ever been, and people are taking a real interest in the Association, and I think the museum has a lot to do with it." Because of the interactives and unique setup, the museum can constantly evolve as time goes by. Capps says she anticipates changes and additions every one to two years. "It’s a deal that will last forever," Groff said. "We can be updating on a continual basis, with new ideas and adding to the interactives. As the years go by, we can add new folks to it and see it evolve. It’s a living history for Aggie athletics." The museum, which will be open free of charge to the public, is still seeking memorabilia. Those with items that may belong in the museum should contact Capps at 979/846-3024 or e-mail her at: letter@athletics.tamu.edu. "We are encouraging everyone to go through their closets and search their memory banks for memorabilia that will help tell the story of Texas A&M’s athletic history," Capps said. "We are very pleased with how the museum is taking shape, but always want to be on the look for how to make it even better. "The reaction (we had in October at the Burgess Banquet) was great, and we only had about 70 percent of the actual museum on display. But the reaction from those who attended was overwhelming. It is a first-class project, and the people who saw it walked away very impressed. Everyone who has seen it so far has just been floored."
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