Is Ohio your home state? If so, it doesn’t matter whether you plan to tailgate with your RV friends or watch your favorite Ohio teams from your couch, there is a list of Ohio sports facts that you should absolutely know about your home state. From the Cavaliers to the Reds, check out these 10 Ohio sports facts that every true fan needs to know.
Ohio Sports Facts
- LeBron James played high school basketball at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets were a National Hockey League expansion team in 2000. The team went on to reach the NHL play-offs for the first time in 2009 under the direction of Ken Hitchcock.
- The second father-son duo to captain the Ohio State Buckeyes football team was Jim and Kirk Herbstreit. Kirk quarterbacked and co-captained the 1992 Ohio State football team, following after his father Jim who was co-captain in 1960.
- The Cincinnati Red Stockings of 1869 were baseball’s first openly all-professional team, with ten salaried players. They played their first game on May 4, 1869 against the Great Westerns of Cincinnati.
- Ohio Buckeyes quarterback Joe Germaine was selected as Big Ten MVP in 1998.
- The Pro Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton, Ohio. Since its opening in 1963, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has grown. Expansions took place in 1971, 1978 and 1995, and major exhibit gallery renovations were completed in 2003, 2008, and 2009. These renovations have transformed the Hall of Fame museum into an internationally recognized institution and travel destination.
- Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus was born in the Columbus suburb of Upper Arlington. “The Golden Bear” won a total of 18 major championships during a career that spanned 25 years.
- The Cleveland Indians baseball team was originally named the Cleveland Naps (Nap Lajoie provided the inspiration for the franchise’s name from 1905 to 1914).
- The Cleveland Cavaliers played at Richfield Coliseum in Richfield for years until moving to what is now known as the Quicken Loans Arena. From its opening until August 2005, Quicken Loans Arena was known as Gund Arena, named for former Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund, after he paid for the naming rights.
- Last, but certainly not least, here’s one of the Ohio sports facts that should be top of mind. The Cleveland Cavaliers won game 5 of the 2007 Finals against the Detriot Pistons in double overtime thanks to LeBron James, who scored 29 of the last 30 points.
If you’re a sports fan from Ohio and have some Ohio sports facts that you’d like to share, be sure to “LIKE” the Easy Escapes RV Facebook page. You can post pictures or videos showing your Ohio team spirit there!