MURRAY – Murray State Athletics has a new home to showcase its greatest of the great after the recent opening of the Burton Family Hall of Champions. The official opening was held Sept. 26, 2015.
Located at the front of the CFSB Center, the Hall of Champions highlights the greatest individuals and championship teams in Racer history.The Burton Family Hall of Champions became reality after a generous gift from former Racer football player and MSU alumni Dr. Bob Burton.
“The Racers have won many championships, hoisted many trophies and hung many banners,” said Director of Athletics Allen Ward. “But for a program as rich in tradition as ours, we’ve never had a place to adequately tell our story. But now we have a place and we’re honored to call it the Burton Family Hall of Champions.”
“We’re fortunate here at Murray State to have people like Dr. Bob Burton. People who not only love this university, but give back in many ways,” Ward added. “I will be forever grateful to Dr. Burton and his family for this generous gift.”
Dr. Burton played for the Racers in the 1960’s where he was an outstanding student-athlete that excelled on the field and off it.
“My family and I are very proud to support my alma mater,” Dr. Burton said. “Without a Murray State football scholarship, I would not have been able to attend college. Murray State University was very good to me and gave me a platform to be successful in football and provided the discipline and necessary skills to be successful in business. We are very pleased to be able to assist the university with this gift in order to complete The Burton Family Hall of Champions.
The attractions of the Hall of Champions are many, including four interactive touch screens where fans can browse videos, photos and articles. For example, some of the great Racer moments include video of NCAA Tournament games and hundreds of photos. All America selections and academic award winners are also highlighted.
The Murray State Athletics Hall of Fame also has a prominent place in the Hall of Champions.
Ringing the room of the facility, there are sport sections that highlight the history of each Murray State program. An additional area of great moments brings attention to special accomplishments and the dates they occurred.
The Hall of Champions has 3,200 square feet of display space where championship trophies and other unique memorabilia items are showcased.
The Burton Family Hall of Champions will be open for visitors three hours before every Murray State home football and men’s basketball game. Visits can also be arranged by appointment by calling the CFSB Center ticket office at (270) 809-3000.
Admission to the Murray State Hall of Champions is free.
Dr. Bob Burton is a 1962 graduate of Murray State College and holds a Master of Arts degree. Mr. Burton is a recipient of two honorary doctorates from Murray State University and the University of Connecticut. He has been recognized by Murray State University as the first recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus and Golden Horseshoe awards from the MSU Alumni Association, as well as the school’s Distinguished Achievement Award from the Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business. He is also a member of the Racer Athletics Hall of Fame. At Murray State, Burton was an All-OVC football player in 1960 and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers.
Bob Burton has a long and distinguished career in business. He is currently Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Stamford, Connecticut based Cenveo, Inc. Cenveo is an international leader in the printing and publishing industries and has more than 100 facilities located throughout the world.
