Celebrating West Texas sports legends at the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame

BIG COUNTRY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Since moving to the Mall of Abilene, the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame sees an average of 400 to 600 visitors. Originally in the Abilene ISD Administration building, the museum moved to the mall in 2020.

It’s more than just a hall of trophies; it’s a walk through West Texas history and a trip down memory lane for many, like Golda Harris of Sweetwater. 

Golda Harris now lives in Abilene and recently visited the museum for the first time.

“It brings back names that I had forgotten about, that I had seen them play. Being 90 years old, it’s nice to have a recall of pleasant times during my lifetime,” said Harris.

Harris felt right at home inside the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame, and while Harris’ picture isn’t on display in the museum, she is part of sports history in the Big Country. 

“I’ve loved sports for all my life,” Harris added. “I played volleyball on the first team that Sweetwater, Texas, played competitively. It was unbelievable to get on a bus and travel out of town and play with other people.”

Chairman of the Board of Directors and Founder of the Museum, Al Pickett, shared his philosophy.

“If you don’t keep these stories alive, they’ll be lost in time,” Pickett shared.

Pickett has spent nearly 40 years in Abilene covering local sports in the newspaper and on the radio.

“One day, the phone rings, and they said, ‘Would you be interested in coming to Abilene, Texas?’ I said, ‘Sure, where is it?'” Pickett recalled.

It’s been Pickett’s home ever since, and he says the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame is also home to many local legends.

“We have anywhere from five members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a Masters champion, six members of winning Super Bowl teams, a three-time World Series champion, four Olympians, all went to high school in the Big Country,” Pickett explained.

Golda Harris added, “It’s unbelievable. You see all the players and coaches that I knew when they were younger. I even saw a poker player that went to Sweetwater High School, Doyle Brunson, I knew him.”

It is free to visit the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame. However, donations are gladly accepted, which helps the museum keep doors open and support local athlete scholarships. Since becoming a non-profit organization, the Board of Directors has awarded $180,000 in scholarships. Each year, they award 12 student-athletes with $1,500 scholarships each at the spring banquet.