* Selected to Pro Bowl, + First-Team AP All-Pro, Bold indicates league leader. What fortune, then, that he knew a secretary who would stop at nothing to set him up with a friend of hers who also had two children, and who was also ready to throw in the towel on romance. David Baker has a wide-ranging background before coming into the NFL as the Pro Football Hall of Fame president. "Guys were screaming and yelling at each other and threatening lawsuits, and I thought, 'Oh my God, what did I get myself into? During his time at WKYT, Dave has covered the Cats in 5 Final Fours and 3 National Championships in 1996, 1998 and 2012. 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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Dave Baker became the first Black Head Baseball Coach at a Big 8 Conference institution. Baker was raised in Downey, California, near Los Angeles, by two parents who, he says, couldn't read. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. While his physical presence is robust, his delivery is gentler. After serving two years in the U.S. Army, a return to the NFL to a signed contract seemed imminent, but a different path would be charted. Forsaking a lucrative NFL contract and all of its amenities, David and Edna Baker came to Bethany, signed an SNU contract worth $3,600 annually and began a dream. Chris Rodriguez Jr., RB, Kentucky | NFL Draft Scouting Report, Alexander Mattison Dynasty Profile: Fantasy Outlook, Value, Projections, and Rankings, Absolute Sports Acquires Majority Stake in Pro Football Network, Expands Reach in the U.S. Sports Media Market, XFL Fantasy Football Rankings Week 2: Josh Gordon, Jeff Badet, Max Borghi, and More, Final Fantasy PPR Rankings for the NFL Playoffs: Tony Pollard, Ezekiel Elliott, James Cook, and More. David Baker lifted the Pro Football Hall of Fame to new heights. But a decision in 1988 cast him out of politics entirely. Born Caden Joseph Bell on November 20, 2000 in Anaheim, Calif. . 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. I work in construction though, so 70s arent very realistic for my job. This is how David Baker drew up his plan for what is now the $700 million Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village. Baker had absolutely nothing to do with that, unless the league leaks something to suggest otherwise. Home NFL For the first time since Baker took those jobs in 2014, the museum is undergoing a. Instead, it summons football immortality. Dave is a member of the Foundation Board for Baptist Health Lexington and his other civic love is the Childrens Charity Golf Classic, celebrating its 40thth anniversary in 2021The Classic raises money for 30 different childrens organizations in central Kentucky and since its inception has raised over 15 million dollars. He drew up contracts with his kids that committed them to attending practices and being punctual, with pay scales for achievements in the classroom and on the court. His father, Carl, worked for 32 years in a lumberyard. He has also twice been a part of Turner Sports Team Casts for The Final Four. The project was later restarted without Baker leading the development group. He helped make the words 'Canton' and 'Excellence' synonymous," Hall of Fame chairman of the board of trustees Dennis Nash said. NFL Network analysts have six players in mind. A constant thinker, he'd stay up late into the night while living in an Upper East Side apartment in New York City, scribbling his wild ideas on a yellow legal pad, creating stacks of the sheets he'd leave outside the bedroom door of his eldest son, Ben, for Ben to type up when he woke. During Coach Baker's tenure (19641974) a long list of significant accomplishment occurred: the first two men's basketball seasons had winning marks (men's basketball was the only intercollegiate sport for four years); the Benchwarmer Club was formed in 1968; the first scholarships awarded in 1969; the Redskin Revolution to change the course of sportsmanship in society occurred (a new method of introducing players was introduced, which later was adopted by high school, college and pro teams across America); sports were added to include women's basketball, baseball, women's volleyball, men's and women's tennis. At WKYT, Dave brings the sports to viewers at noon and 6:30 and of course whenever theres news involving the Cats. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Art Baker Dave Sarette Syracuse Orangemen 1960 S&S Football Pictorial CO Panel at the best online prices at eBay! Apr. July 30,1937 Colleen did Baker the courtesy of being cordial over the phone -- and, to her surprise, she talked with him for nearly an hour. Plans called for the Hall of Fame Village project to be completed in time for the NFL's centennial season in 2020, but the project hit snags. The Village, located in Nevada, is the first integrated health village in the world. "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.''. David Baker, a towering presence who is often clad in suit coats of the brightest colors, has announced his retirement as the Pro Football Hall of Fame's president and executive director. 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. While commissioner of the AFL, Baker established a relationship with then-NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue. beezee96740 says: Baker is the president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "You got like, 10 cents a point in basketball, but a rebound was a quarter, assist was 50 cents or something, because that was more important than scoring points.". Who else rises and falls? I hope Im still able-bodied and and physically fit enough to work into my 60s or maybe even 70. [7] He left his political career in 1988 after being convicted of forgery in California for attempting to embezzle $48,000 in campaign funds. Baker, seen by many fans with "the knock'' videos as he informs some of the league's best players and coaches that they are officially Hall of Famers, made the official announcement along with the Hall of Fame on Saturday. And she said, 'Well, you can call them back. Thank you to the walking, talking embodiment of the NFL Hall Of Fame David Baker for joining us today. However, after just a single year as an owner, Baker became the AFL commissioner in 1997. [6] Baker also played two seasons of professional basketball in Europe before attending law school. Hes a 1982 graduate of Georgetown (KY) College. Ive met Baker. $2.25 + $1.00 shipping. To this day, Dave Baker is the only Black coach to have been a Head Baseball Coach in K-State history, as well as Big 8 (and Big 12) history. That game, was the subject of the recent ESPN 30 for 30 special Miracle 3. Few things in sports give me the chills more than watching Baker knock on someones hotel room door to let them know they made the HOF. Good luck Mr Baker. Its obvious that there are incriminating emails that will soon surface where he sexually harassed Jon Gruden. Baker is a Christian. He even had them submit invoices for allowances. I hope its not health related and I pray its not an email thing. But then a day later this announcement came out, leading some to wonder about it. 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. Derailed by his ugly exit from politics at 35, Baker spent the following years on a new track, focusing on his career as an attorney in the healthcare development industry in Southern California and raising Ben and Sam. He's very mission-driven. No long-term contract. (It actually stands for Carl, named after his father.) Be sure to follow us on Twitter (@PFN365)to stay up to date with all things around the NFL. Hes pure class. First, it was actual lumber, moved while working alongside his father on his off days as a teen, leaving his hands sore for weeks. 2. Governor Beshear signed the sports betting bill into law on Friday. "Few people combine vision, passion and dedication as completely as David Baker," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. Join our linker program. However, after the stadium was completed, construction was halted in 2018 as companies involved in the project sought to be paid for work that already had been completed. Dave Baker weighed 192 lbs (87 kg) when playing. "'I cannot believe you gave this man my phone number! Two years after the fact, Adam Rank runs the 2021 NFL Draft over again -- and the Jets don't let Justin Fields go by them at No. "We are very fortunate to have such a successful and experienced entrepreneur and executive like Dave Baker join the Hall of Fame team," said Tom Schervish, Chairman of the Board of . Since his arrival into the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame picture, David Baker has been part of the Hall of Fames transformation. Dave Baker played 38 games over his career. Kraft commented on Bakers passion and salesmanship during that trip. He was best known for the videos where he surprised Hall of Fame inductees with the news they had been elected to Canton. Im blessed to be at a place where were not just 'broadcasters' but were encouraged to be involved in our communities as well, Baker said. Before he was hired by the Hall of Fame in 2014, Baker, an attorney, had played professional basketball in Switzerland and had been mayor of Irvine, California. In seven years as president and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, David expanded the Hall's footprint national and footprint locally in Canton, Ohio. Baker has turned over day-to-day business operations. '" Colleen Baker says. Count Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Pope Francis among those who received the Hall's pitch during the trip. You must be logged in to leave a comment. Baker, 68, spent eight years as the President and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. The board of trustees will also evaluate the Hall's management structure in the pursuit of a new executive director. Baker was forced to cancel the game, but he didn't have a public address announcer handle the delivery of the bad news. '". Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks are back with a new episode of Move the Sticks. Stroud that is reminiscent of Dak Prescott? 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