Canton officially likes football

Monday was a very good foto safari, went to three towns and pretty much saw everything i wanted to see. In Barberton, and Canton people were very pleased to see the hounds. They like road trips, and new places to sniff around.

 "You, sir, are the greatest athlete in the world." —King Gustav V of Sweden

Jim Thorpe was an athlete that amazed everyone. In 1912, he was the gold medalist in the decathlon, and the pentathlon. Besides track and field, he played baseball, football, basketball, and ball room dancing. Now there are statistics kept on things that are obscure, and some are fancifully categorised. Thorpe's statistics are incomplete, and new details can appear. When the sports ended, his life was difficult and uncomfortable. He died ill, and impoverished. The painting is by Joseph Close.

A few days ago marked one hundred years since the National Football League was created at a Canton Hupmobile dealership. Jim Thorpe was the titular president in the first year.

It is taking MUCH longer to write text and upload fotos because of their stupid changes on Blogger. Are they keeping the meter running? for their benefit? Fifteen minutes at least to post these two sentences, and the foto above it.

 Gail Folwell. The NFL Draft. 2015.

This bronze sculpture is open for human touch. It is a bronze of the Philadelphia Eagle owner, and later league commissioner, Bert Bell [he is wearing the suit and holding the ball].  In 1936, he started the draft of incoming footballers. The Football Hall of Fame made a list of eleven important events, and this one. All eleven will have public art installations within walking distance of the others. Two have been recently displayed, making nine in the public's view. This sculpture invites people to stand behind the five figures, and pretend to be the backfield.

 

Before there was semi-professional or professional football in the area, there was high school football: the Canton Bulldogs, and the Massillon Tigers. It is still a very popular event for the two high schools, and towns. Scot Phillips placed pixels to this 1905 photograph.

This Canton sign is part of a two acre park/plaza, which is still being built. There was no activity on Monday, when the photograph was snapped. The "A" looks like the McKinley Tomb, but is suggestive of the Football Hall.

Canton has really heavily invested in promoting football, but it has been expensive, and the account books may not be joyful. This year, they were expecting a big centennial show. The virus killed it. The city enjoys the national cameras for the pre-season game of two NFL teams. There was no pre-season this year. In 2016, an act of paint stupidity cancelled that year's game. Logos were painted at midfield, and the end zones. The paint would not give to cleated shoes. Solvent was tried, and failed. The chalk, lime, and powder, that was used years ago, would have been fine. Modern ideas, modern problems.