How will the Sports Immortals® Complex differ from existing Halls of Fame?

Sports Immortals will be different in four major ways:

1. Our attraction will be located in a major city/tourist market whereas existing Halls of Fame were based on history, rather than maximizing visitor potential.
2. We will enshrine the greatest athletes of all major sports.
3. We will use state-of-the-art technology and interactive displays.
4. We will be located within a Complex that incorporates full family dining and entertainment facilities.
   
   

What is your most prized possession?

That is a difficult question. But I believe my collection of Jim Thorpe mementos, as a whole, is the most endearing to me. These items include Thorpe's Carlisle Indians and Canton Bulldogs football jerseys, his Carlisle letter sweater, his Olympic scrapbook from the 1912 games in Stockholm, Sweden, the scrapbook that he kept for his entire career and various medals and trophies.

Have you ever been involved with the Smithsonian Institute?

Yes! One of my most rewarding experiences occurred in 1981 when I was asked to participate in the Smithsonian Institute's American Heroes Exhibit. I was the largest contributor and my involvement provided me the opportunity to meet Ronald Reagan and George Bush. President Reagan donated an autographed helmet that he wore while playing George Gipp in the Knute Rockne Story. George Bush added an autographed photo, baseball and replica uniform he wore when he played first base at Yale.

How have you managed to stay focused all your life on achieving your dream?

I have always structured my life by a set of rules and values that I have compiled into the "Sports Immortals Rules for Success."

1. Never Lose Sight of Your Dreams.
2. Set Goals for Yourself.
3. Always Give Maximum Effort.
4. Never Be Afraid of Failure.
5. Learn From Your Mistakes.
6. Keep Physically Fit.
7. Avoid Drugs.
8. Be Flexible and Tolerant.
9. Believe in Yourself.
10. Have Faith and Trust Your Instincts.

What was your most heartfelt moment as a collector?

I visited Roy Campanella, the Hall of Fame catcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers, at his liquor store in Harlem several years after his crippling automobile accident. After I explained to him my plans to develop a sports museum to honor the greatest athletes of all time, he told me that he would be glad to contribute his last Dodger uniform. The only problem was that he had locked it in a trunk in the cellar. Roy moved his wheel chair to the door leading to the lower level. Then he somehow maneuvered himself down the steps to the basement. I was so touched when he returned fifteen minutes later with his complete Dodger uniform.

Of all the items that you had a chance to obtain, which one do you most wish you had acquired?

I received a telephone in 1976 from a young college student who had a complete Lou Gehrig uniform from 1939 with the rare centennial patch on the left shoulder. He was asking for $2500, which I thought was too much money at that time. I offered him $1500 and lost out on one of the rarest Lou Gehrig items you could find.

Do you still actively curate sports memorabilia?

Yes. I am always looking for rare, museum type sports mementos from great athletes or sporting events.

Is any of your memorabilia available to the public, or will they have to wait until the Sports Immortals Experience is developed?

We have set up our Sports Immortals Showcase Museum in Boca Raton, Florida to serve as a preview to our Sports Immortals Experience. The facility features rotating displays of over 20,000 mementos to see. It also offers a selection of over 10,000 non-museum-related items to purchase in our state-of-the-art memorabilia mart.