First Play was held on Thursday, August 4, at 10:00 a.m., featuring a three-mile long human chain of area youngsters stretching from the Frank T. Bow Building in downtown Canton (201 2nd Street S.W.) where the NFL was founded in 1920, to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. More than 1,400 area youths between the ages of 6 and 17 participated in this exciting event! Kids tossed an official NFL football from one participant to the next along the route until it reached its final destination, the Pro Football Hall of Fame!
The event concluded at approximately 11:30 a.m. and following the event, each participant received a sandwich courtesy of Chick-fil-A and beverage on the Hall of Fame grounds. All participants received a First Ball T-shirt (while supplies lasted), and free admission to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on that date.
If your organization missed last year’s event, don’t be left out again. It is a terrific event and a very enjoyable experience for the young people who participate. This event was created exclusively for our area youth; let’s give them an opportunity to be a part of the 2017 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival Celebration. For more information you can contact Jerry Csaki at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, (330) 588-3615 or at jerry.csaki@profootballhof.com.
Participating youth groups will be required to include adequate adult supervision, and each group will be asked to provide one adult per ten children. First Play committee members will be on site to assist in getting groups into place as well as answer any questions before, during, and after the event.