Join Facebook to connect with Larry Baker and others you may know. He also met Roger Goodell, a man with whom he exchanged ideas regularly over the next decade. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Colleen was so nervous, she couldn't eat her meal. Dave is a 1978 graduate of Franklin High School in Franklin, Ohio and a 2005 inductee into the Franklin High School Hall of Fame. The SuperBook and Circa scores highlight a huge couple of years for Baker. , , . "God will give you bread crumbs to lead you down a path," Colleen says. Baker joined the Pro Football Hall of Fame in January 2014. Ran the 100-meter dash and the 4x100-meter relay . He received an email request from a search firm to apply for the opening and respectfully declined, but not before forwarding it to Colleen. "Few people combine vision, passion and dedication as completely as David Baker," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. Involved in community service activities and accumulated over 100 hours of community service through high school. Governor Beshear signed the sports betting bill into law on Friday. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. The Hall announced Baker's decision in a press release Saturday afternoon. "When he first took the job [at the Hall of Fame], I thought to myself 'Oh, that'll be cool, at least he'll get to relax a little bit,' because even when he did Arena football, he wanted to take it to the biggest level," Sam Baker says. "I got a million texts from different players that all said 'Hey, he did the right thing. I hope Im financially able to retire before that. Baker was forced to cancel the game, but he didn't have a public address announcer handle the delivery of the bad news. David Baker also got the opportunity to inform Jimmy Johnson and Bill Cowher that they had made it into the Hall of Fame live on television for the NFLs 100th season. On the basketball court, the innovation of the big man playing the point on the 3-2 zone defense was introduced in Broadhurst in 1971, to be copied around America at every level. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! The Saints, Panthers and Falcons . However, after just a single year as an owner, Baker became the AFL commissioner in 1997. [4], He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and Criticism from the University of California, Irvine and his Juris Doctor from the Pepperdine University School of Law, during which time he served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Pepperdine Law Review.[4]. He helped make the words Canton and Excellence synonymous, the Hall's Chairman of the Board of Trustees Dennis Nash said in a statement. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. Given his size and stature at 6-foot-9 and nearly 400 pounds, Baker makes for an imposing figure. A year after that, Baker took the place of departed commissioner Jim Drucker, a role Baker thought he'd fill "for a year." Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1963 topps # 562 ROOKIE STARS DAVE McNALLY at the best online prices at eBay! '". It's this impact that drives Baker to come to work every day, with a large name tag in the shape of the Hall's logo emblazoned with "DAVID" affixed to his lapel. Check out the full rundown, 1-31. "'I cannot believe you gave this man my phone number! to stay up to date with all things around the NFL. No hidden fees. It's also available for basketball, baseball and hockey. In the first three years that David Baker was leading the Hall of Fame, their net assets grew by 161 percent. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Jan 2020 - Present3 years 4 months. He helped make the words Canton and excellence synonymous,'' said Dennis Nash, chairman of the Hall of Fame's board of trustees. Baker played basketball at UC Irvine before pursuing a professional career in the sport in Europe. Eastern Kentucky University Athletics officials say head football coach Walt Wells is alert and awake after suffering a cardiac event on Sunday. The Kentucky State House and Senate have honored Dave for his work with the Malt Beverage Education Corporation, a statewide organization that promotes the message to high school students about the dangers of underage drinking. For the first time since Baker took those jobs in 2014, the museum is undergoing a. Baker didn't go it alone, establishing a relationship with then-NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Oklahoma His assignments included host of the "SEC Football Today" pre-game show & sideline reporting as part of the game broadcast. Kraft commented on Bakers passion and salesmanship during that trip. Baker joined the Arena Football League (AFL) as the Los Angeles-based Anaheim Pirates owner in 1996. The 64-year-old's frame -- all 6-foot-9 and nearly 400 pounds of it -- looms over almost anyone. Porter, a lifelong resident of Stark County, joined the Hall of Fame after 33 years in daily print journalism, the last 6 as CEO & Publisher of GateHouse Ohio Media. As his knock this afternoon is answered, the room, brimming with nearly 20 of those closest to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, erupts in cheers. Statesboro, Georgia, United States. 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. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Not for Baker. Instead, it summons football immortality. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. ''', NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement that "few people combine vision, passion and dedication as completely as David Baker His mission to honor and support the heroes of the game will be one of his most lasting and important legacies. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. His dad has a large framed photo of Sam blocking for quarterback Matt Ryan in his Canton office, and jokes he still managed to find a way to get Sam into the Hall. During his time at WKYT, Dave has covered the Cats in 5 Final Fours and 3 National Championships in 1996, 1998 and 2012. Watch the inside story of how an NFL production crew surprised Peyton Manning, Calvin Johnson, Charles Woodson and the Hall of Fame Class of 2021 with the knock of a lifetime in a year like no other. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. There was a big scandal in the Chinese Basketball Association involving game-fixing accusations. In 1959, he was drafted into the NFL as the fifth pick of the 1st round by the San Francisco 49ers. Dave Baker became the first Black Head Baseball Coach at a Big 8 Conference institution. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. Baker raises his hand above his head to indicate where the Hall is aiming with this project, then lowers it slightly. While Baker was engrossed in his work and kids for much of his life, he was neglecting another part of it. Baker, 68, will continue to make appearances to hand out the Hall of Fame rings to members of the Hall's Centennial Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021, but will surrender control over the day-to-day operations of the Hall of Fame. The league had fast become one of the most fan-friendly in the world under Bakers leadership. Do you have a sports website? Baker, a power forward at Cal-Irvine. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. "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. His father, Carl, worked for 32 years in a lumberyard. 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. "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." He played seven seasons with the Falcons, until knee issues (including a torn patellar tendon) forced his retirement in 2015. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. By the early 1990s, he was done with dating. With Jones' family celebrating in Baker's hotel room in February, the jovial Baker quipped, "I really just came back because I had forgotten my billfold.". One of Baker's more imposing aspects is his size - 6 feet 9 inches tall and 400 pounds. No worries -- Baker ate his dish, then cleaned her plate, as well. "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.''. That method benefits both of them today. He helped make the words Canton and excellence synonymous,'' said Dennis Nash, chairman of the Hall of Fame's board of trustees. When David Baker was tapped to serve as president and executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, back in 2014, journalists and industry insiders joked he'd have no difficulty filling the big shoes of his predecessor, Stephen A. Perry. inNorman,OK, College: While his role is a year-round job, the majority of his notoriety comes with the knock.. But it does not herald bad news. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. It wasn't long after his arrival that Baker and others began discussing creating Hall of Fame Village, a development similar to the project in Nevada. Mike Band uses the Next Gen Stats Draft Model to spotlight six enticing individuals: three on offense and three on defense. Following his law degree, Baker entered politics, where he served as the mayor and a councilman for Irvine in California. His focus since arriving in Canton, Ohio has been to focus on the organizations mission: Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values & Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE.. "I go, 'Holy cow, how do you think of this stuff? Baker was once a city councilman and later became mayor of Irvine, California, to which he still proudly refers to as one of America's first master-plan cities. Register now! The NFL has violated its trust with the public and is paying the price. - NFL , 49ers . And they came up with this job description,'" Colleen says. 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. 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