Mission Statement

Founded in 2012 in coordination with the Fulton County Museum and the Fulton-Montgomery Sports Historical Society to recognize the achievements of local athletes who’s abilities have allowed them to play professionally, or be involved with professional sports at a National Level, or be part of a significant collegiate accomplishment.

Each year, 1 or more Fulton County athletes will be recognized/inducted into the Hall of Fame, with a plaque created that will be housed at the Fulton County Museum in Gloversville NY. A second (duplicate) plaque will be created and given to the inducted player. The Fulton-Montgomery Sports Historical Society membership will present its recommendations for HOF Status each year (from Master Nominees List) and determine who will be inducted. Induction will be part of a ceremony/banquet to take place at a Fulton County location. The ceremony/induction will be open to the public and inductees will be invited to attend to receive the honor. For deceased inductees, a family member or representative will be invited to attend in their place and accept the honor on their behalf. The cost to the general public to attend will be determined by the HOF Planning Committee.

Funds/profits generated from these events each year will go to the Fulton County Museum and be earmarked for projects to further the documentation the rich sports history of Fulton County. Such documentation will include; (1) purchasing significant Sports Artifacts pertaining to the area as they become available, to be housed at the Fulton County Museum. (2) Historical Road Markers at sites across Fulton County that hold significant sports history (see Master Historical Road Marker Sites List). (3) Parkhurst Field Museum at the Gloversville Little League site. Museum will document the history of that facility dating back to 1898 and its ties to Professional Baseball, as well as the history of the Gloversville Little League. All three initiatives will generate tourist visits to the area to see all the sites.

Historical Road Marker Sites:

1. Parkhurst Field – Home of Baseball since 1898, played host to three Major League Team Visits & countless Future & Former Professional Players.
2. Mills Field – site of very first Baseball Game in Fulton County in 1886. I have still have not yet been able to document exactly where this field was situated.
3. Knox Field – home to the Collegiates & Colonials semi-professional Football Teams. Site of clinics by many NY Yankee Players and MLB Greats during August 1979 visit.
4. Glovers Park/Berkshire Park – Current home of Gloversville Walmart / Hannaford’s; site of Gloversville Glovers Baseball Team, host to two Major League Team Visits, Car Racing and Dog Racing.
5. Denkert Glove Factory – Long time manufacturer of Baseball Gloves for Professional and youth players, located on State Street in Johnstown
6. DeBeers Baseball Factory – National Sporting Goods Manufacturer who began making Baseballs in a barn on State Street in Johnstown. Operated the very first baseball stitching device.
7. Sir William Johnson Hall – site of early Cricket Matches & very first horse racing track in America.
8. Jack McKeon’s House – Home on Yale Street in Gloversville where Jack McKeon lived during the 1950 Glovers Season.
9. Dolgeville/Adirondack Bat Company
10. Hal Schumacher Field in Dolgeville
11. Pine Brook Golf Course – Professional Golfer Exhibitions
12. Kingsboro Golf Course – Professional Golfer Exhibitions
13. Gloversville Armory – site of Professional Basketball Games in the early days of Basketball
14. Johnstown Fairgrounds – site of JAGS Baseball Teams in the 1890’s, including MLB Hall of Famer Jack Chesbro in 1895.
15. Rulison’s Mill – site of leather manufacturer who held the patent on white leather used for making ML Baseballs.
16. Sport Island Baseball Diamond (near Sport Island Pub). Possibly a marker that goes on top of a floating buoy that is placed in the lake over the actual site the field was on.
17. Site where North American Record Northern Pike was caught on the Sacandaga Lake in Broadalbin. Marker on road nearest to bay where Pike was caught, or possibly on top of a floating buoy that is placed in the bay where the fish was actually caught.
18. Riceville (Mayfield) Baseball Field (we have yet to document where this field was)
19. Fulton County Museum; home of the “History of Baseball in Fulton County Exhibit” and other pertinent Fulton County Sports Artifacts.
20. Northville Golf Course (invented scoring system)
21. Pine Tree Riffle Club; creator of the Bench Rest Shooting Standards – A plaque is already in place
22. Royal Mountain; where Jumpin Jack Johnston first learned/practiced doing flips on skis

Fulton County Sports History Tour:

Once all Historical Markers are in place, they will form a “Fulton County Sports History Tour”. A map will be created that takes visitors around the county to see all the pertinent sites. This will become a show case piece for the Fulton County Chambers Tourism Department to draw sports enthusiasts to Fulton County. We may be able to draw “Cooperstown Visitors” to come North.