"The growth he envisioned led to the expansion of the Hall of Fame, spread to downtown Canton and will continue to have a tremendous impact on the future of the Hall for decades to come." The SuperBook and Circa scores highlight a huge couple of years for Baker. Dr. Roy Cantrell, president of Southern Nazarene University, called, asking for a meeting to discuss with David the possibility of coming to SNU to begin intercollegiate athletics and be a professor of physical education. The video shows tears flowing and the people inside embracing as Baker informs Jones of his impending enshrinement into football's most hallowed club. It starts with David Baker, the president and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, standing in front of a hotel door, the top of the 6-foot-9, 400-pounder's head even with the top of the. David Baker, the President & Executive Director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame since January 2014, is retiring from the Hall to return to his home, family and business projects in California and Nevada. There was the classic problem of the blind date, though: How would Colleen know who Baker was? And as construction continues for the foreseeable future, folks still make the pilgrimage to 2121 George Halas Drive to check off the greatest stop on the football bucket list. This is how David Baker drew up his plan for what is now the $700 million Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Bakers physical stature is what many know him for, but those close to him know him for the size of his vision in projects. NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand, and MORE! Baker said in the announcement that he will "return to his home, family and business projects in California and Nevada." The retirement is effective immediately. Oct 16, 2021 David Baker, the iconic president and executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, who brought a certain flair to his role informing recipients of their Hall selections, is retiring, effectively immediately. This article originally appeared on The Repository: David Baker retiring from Pro Football Hall of Fame, David Baker instrumental in creating Hall of Fame Village project, Former Canton Repository Publisher Jim Porter named President of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Centennial Class of 2020 and Class of 2021, David Baker retiring from Pro Football Hall of Fame. "I found out that each of the three previous commissioners had been punched out at some point, and there were like six votes on dismissing the commissioner. Baker says he was "literally too big to play football," instead gravitating toward basketball, which enabled him to attend college at the University of California-Irvine on scholarship as a power forward (he still holds the school's all-time rebound record and is third on the all-time scoring list), play professional basketball in Europe and, later, attend law school at Pepperdine University. With the 2023 NFL Draft just around the corner, Charles Davis reveals 17 prospects he'd adamantly advocate for when the clock is running down and it's time to make a pick. 1978 Graduate--Franklin Senior High School (Franklin, Ohio). July 30,1937 Few things in sports give me the chills more than watching Baker knock on someones hotel room door to let them know they made the HOF. But Baker says conflicts of interest arose as Baker's son, Sam, was drafted by the Falcons, a team owned by Arthur Blank, who also owned an AFL team. Sam's newfound wealth "scared the heck out of" Baker, who chose to leave the AFL to better direct his son -- perhaps with prescience, as the AFL soon went on hiatus as a result of the crippling 2008 recession. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. What is it about C.J. Learn how your comment data is processed. Hey, good job. Forsaking a lucrative NFL contract and all of its amenities, David and Edna Baker came to Bethany, signed an SNU contract worth $3,600 annually and began a dream. By 2018 construction at the village had been stalled for months as companies waited on millions of dollars in back pay for work on Benson Stadium. "As I approach the end of nearly eight years of service to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I have come to the conclusion that it is time for someone else to have the 'best job in the world' so I can still do a few more exciting things in my professional life while also returning home to our four children, 10 grandchildren and soon-to-be great grandson in Orange County, California, whom I've missed so much during my tenure at 'The Most Inspiring Place on Earth,'" Baker said in a statement. The sports betting contests helped fill a void that's been missing since COVID-19 shut down major live . Jul 28, 2017. to stay up to date with all things around the NFL. Education 1982. David Baker, the President & Executive Director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame since January 2014, has announced he is retiring from the Hall to return to his home, family and business projects in California and Nevada. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. (College Stats), Weighted Career AV (100-95-): 22 (5060th overall since 1960). Byard is a winning football player who has never missed a game . Under his leadership, the AFL became a profitable league and was in discussion to hold an exhibition game in Germany at the time of his resignation. I saw what you stand for, I saw what this company is all about, and so we're in. No cable. '" Colleen says. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1961 FLEER DAVE BAKER #64 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS OFF CENTER MINIR EDGE FLAW at the best online prices at eBay! Dave Baker had 294 receiving yards over his career. "It's typical of Mookie, man. Jim Porter, 57, the Hall of Fames Chief Marketing and Communications Officer since April 2020, has been named President of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and will oversee all daily business operations. Plus, the two were Los Angeles County natives, and it gets cold in Ohio. Count Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Pope Francis among those who received the Hall's pitch during the trip. In this crazy year, there wont be any fans at Keeneland, but we can get you ready for a day of winning wagering at home on Today at Keeneland. No long-term contract. "God will give you bread crumbs to lead you down a path," Colleen says. Seriously!?! Join our linker program. Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks are back with a new episode of Move the Sticks. Baker left the project in 2014 to take up his role as the Hall of Fame president. He helped make the words Canton and excellence synonymous,'' said Dennis Nash, chairman of the Hall of Fame's board of trustees. That method benefits both of them today. Dave began doing events for the SECs syndicated broadcast package (Jefferson-Pilot, Lincoln Financial and Raycom Sports) in 1993. One of David Bakers roles as the President of the Pro Football Hall of Fame is getting to inform NFL players that they have been selected. No worries -- Baker ate his dish, then cleaned her plate, as well. [9], From 2009 to 2014, he was Managing Partner for Union Village,[10] an integrated health care village in Henderson, Nevada. In the release, Baker said he and his family wanted to move back home after spending time in Canton, Ohio. Porter joined the Hall of Fame after 33 years in daily print journalism. Baker's guidance of his sons started well before Sam's entry into the NFL. Pro Football Hall of Fame president David Baker retires Published: Oct 16, 2021 at 03:17 PM Around the NFL Staff NFL.com The Pro Football Hall of Fame has a new president. [12] He was also involved in the Hall of Fame Village, a mixed-use development surrounding the Hall of Fame. Following his law degree, Baker entered politics, where he served as the mayor and a councilman for Irvine in California. The growth he envisioned led to the expansion of the Hall of Fame, spread to downtown Canton and will continue to have a tremendous impact on the future of the Hall for decades to come. Baker recalls an image of his father, slumped in a chair after a long day at the yard. Facebook gives people the power to. Baker even went overseas to sell the Hall and grow the game, joining 18 living members of the Hall of Fame -- "Gold Jackets," as the Hall refers to them -- and Kraft on a trip to Israel, the second of its kind. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. [5] He was a power forward at UC Irvine from 197175 where he established the school record for career rebounds (926) that stood for 44 years until broken by Jonathan Galloway in 2019. "David Baker lifted the Pro Football Hall of Fame to new heights. Dave Baker was 6-0 (183 cm) tall. There's not many people looking out for players like that,'" Sam says. 1956 Oklahoma Sooners footballconsensus national champions, San Francisco 49ers first-round draft picks, Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dave_Baker_(American_football)&oldid=1142945865, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from February 2014, All articles needing additional references, Pages using infobox Canadian Football League biography with unknown parameters, Pages using infobox Canadian Football League biography with DatabaseFootball parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Most passes intercepted in a single game: 4 (tied), This page was last edited on 5 March 2023, at 04:00. BILLIE EILISH AND . That was the message from guest speaker David Baker to attendees at the Good Friday Prayer Breakfast, hosted by the Greensburg Christian Business Men's Connection on April 7 at Stratigos Banquet Center in North Huntingdon. Among Baker's most notable accomplishments: the promotion of health-related causes for former NFL players and their families, launching the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic to celebrate Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and overseeing the selection of a 20-member Centennial Class in 2020 to commemorate the league's 100th birthday. The Hall's current state wouldn't be enough. Baker had absolutely nothing to do with that, unless the league leaks something to suggest otherwise. Work started in September 2015 demolishing Fawcett Stadium and building Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Baker, 68, had served in the role of president. The Hall announced Baker's decision in a press release Saturday afternoon. Pro Football Network strives to passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content. '". But it does not herald bad news. Though Baker has turned over day-to-day business operations, he'll continue to represent the Hall of Fame at Ring of Excellence ceremonies to honor members of the 2020 and 2021 classes at NFL stadiums for the remainder of the presentation schedule. Dave is a 1978 graduate of Franklin High School in Franklin, Ohio and a 2005 inductee into the Franklin High School Hall of Fame. Baker's first meeting between owners in 1996 left him second-guessing his acquisition. '" Baker recalls. Very gradual decline in 40 years of skills and can no longer make up for the faster decline in energy the last 4 years. "Jim Porter as president, along with the next executive director of the Hall, step into an organization with a unique place in the game of football and a strong national reputation.''. [19], [Grand Scam in Mexico, in the shadow of The NFL Hall of Fame], Pro Football Hall of Fame ceo Also, continue to visit. During the winter he was a play-by-play announcer on Raycom Sports broadcast of SEC Basketball and the sideline reporter for the SEC Tournament including the Friday night in March of 2008 when a tornado hit The Georgia Dome. Baker, 68, has served in leadership since 2014 and headed several special projects . The Hall of Fame has greatly expanded programming across the country, seen increased television ratings, and received broader exposure of their mission. But a decision in 1988 cast him out of politics entirely. The Kentucky Wildcats are out of the NCAA Tournament after losing to 15-seed Saint Peters in the first round. He is a past or current member of several boards of directors in the Canton area, including the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, ArtsinStark and the United Way of Greater Stark County, and he chaired the NFL Centennial Host Committee as the City of Canton prepared to celebrate the leagues 100th birthday. For more details, review our, videos where he surprised Hall of Fame inductees, since said there are no other damaging emails, demand from the public to see what else was uncovered, Domantas Sabonis responds to Draymond Green incident, Michael Beasley issues statement after being linked to Chinese scandal, Draymond Green yells at Kings fans after stomping on Domantas Sabonis, Draymond Green ejected for stomping on Domantas Sabonis, Eric Bledsoes Chinese team accused of fixing playoff game. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. 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