Salem’s Bob Sebo to be inducted into National High School Football Hall of Fame
For the past two years, the High School Football Hall of Fame has celebrated an outstanding group of high school football players, coaches and contributors from across the nation and several in northeast Ohio. They’re receiving a new honor among athletes: being inducted into the National High School Football Hall of Fame.
The National High School Football Hall of Fame is getting ready to welcome its third induction class of 2025, honoring 33 individuals including Bob Sebo from Salem High School.
Sebo graduated in 1954 and received 11 letters from Salem High School, including three for football. He was able to find success after graduating from Bowling Green State University as a founder of Paychex.
Bob and Linda Sebo are major philanthropists whose legacy will live on under the lights at Salem High School’s Sebo Stadium and BGSU’s Sebo Athletic Center.
“I had no idea that I was going to be fortunate enough to be in such a group of people,” Sebo said. “I never thought of myself as being recognized within a group of this magnificence. Football has been my way of life. I never did get to find out how good I was due to some injuries, but those injuries led me to be a football guy.”
The Sebos are co-executive producers of a 2018 film with The Ohio State University called “I’m a Buckeye: The Earle Bruce Story.” Money raised from the film premier went to Salem High School athletics.
“My wife says I like football better than her. I’m just absolutely humbled to be part of this, and I thank the entire organization. I’m so excited we’re going to have our own facility, and that’s really something that is long overdue,” Sebo said.
National High School Football Hall of Fame
Canton will soon be the place to visit to learn more about the past and future of football, according to David Jingo, the vice president of operations for the National High School Football Hall of Fame.
Jingo announced a National High School Football Hall of Fame center will be coming to 332 Second St. NW in Canton.
“We’re delighted to announce that the National High School Football Hall of Fame now has a home,” said Jingo. “High school football’s legacy has a permanent residency, and Canton is the perfect site. This area has been producing star players, winning coaches and contributors dating back to the nineteenth century. The future home of the Hall of Fame, located in downtown Canton, provides 20,000 square feet of space over three levels.”
The first level of the new facility will be for visitors to get an immersive history lesson on high school football in the U.S.
“Interactive displays incorporating VR and the latest technology will highlight our enshrinees, events and games that shape the sport rivalry, historic stadiums, remarkable records and much more,” said Jingo. “Additionally, we’ll curate store and display memorabilia, as well as digitized anarchy, high school football game film, photos and other media.”
While the first floor honors the past, the second level of the facility will address the future of football for high school, according to Jingo.
“Our purpose is not only to celebrate the past, but also to promote the growth of the game and ensure that it continues to strive, continues to thrive, so the future generations will be able to benefit from high school football’s life lessons,” he said.
The new National High School Football Hall of Fame will serve as the base of operations for tackling issues such as player safety, nutrition, injury recovery, integrating new technology, education, fan conduct, navigating social media and recruitment.
“The initiative intends to address broader social issues affecting our youth and communities such as addiction, food insecurity, crime, violence and mental health,” Jingo said. “Our strategy to reach the community through the student athletes will benefit entire school districts and regions. Knowledge gained from these programs will be integrated into the interactive displays, creating an even more impactful experience for our visitors.”
Jingo also announced the new National High School Football Hall of Fame streaming network and app coming soon.
“Our talented creative team can utilize our production facilities to generate original content featuring high school football and the hall of fame,” he said. “Witness what it takes to be great. They can, in turn, inspire the study with their own path to success, both in sport and in life. Fans of high school football will learn about the heroes of the game, the history of the sport and how it is so intricately woven into the fabric of our society.”
Jingo said 2025 marks 150 years since the first high school football game in U.S. history was played on May 12, 1875.
“As part of our induction weekend festivities in June, we will highlight and celebrate this monumental event,” he said. “2025 brings us our third induction class, from presenting the first two classes to developing our vision for what the National High School Football Hall of Fame will become.”
2025 Class for National High School Football Hall of Fame
The 2025 class of high school football inductees includes:
- Jim Thorpe — Carlisle Indian Industrial School (Carlisle, PA)
- Steve Atwater — Lutheran High School North (St. Louis, MO)
- Hanford Dixon — Theodore High School (Theodore, AL)
- Leroy Kelly — Simon Gratz High School (Philadelphia, PA)
- Jerry Butler — Ware Shoals High School (Ware Shoals, SC)
- Andre Coleman — Hickory High School (Hermitage, PA)
- Tim Couch — Leslie County High School (Hyden, KY)
- Bob Sebo — Salem High School (Salem, OH)
- Tom Cousineau — St. Edward High School (Lakewood, OH)
- Richard Dent — J.C. Murphy High School (Atlanta, GA)
- Luke Fickell — St. Francis DeSales High School (Columbus, OH)
- Jeff Herron (HC) — Camden County High School (GA)
- Craig James — Stratford High School (Houston, TX)
- Ray Lewis — Kathleen High School (Lakeland, FL)
- Frank Minnifield — Clay High School (Lexington, KY)
- Warren Moon — Hamilton High School (Los Angeles, CA)
- Eric Metcalf — Bishop O’Connell High School (Arlington County, VA)
- Louis Riddick — Pennridge High School (Perkasie, PA)
- Jim Render (HC) — Upper St. Clair High School (Upper St. Clair, PA)
- Percy Snow — McKinley High School (Canton, OH)
- Troy Smith — Glenville High School (Cleveland, OH)
- Andre Smith — John F. Kennedy High School (Cleveland, OH)
- Micky Sullivan (HC) — Fork Union Military Academy (VA)
- Wally Triplett — Cheltenham High School (La Mott, PA)
- Mike Vrabel — Walsh Jesuit High School (Cuyahoga Falls, OH)
- Virgil Walker (HC) — East Tech High School (Cleveland, OH)
- Zack Washington Sr. — Jeannette High School (Jeannette, PA)
- Tyrone Wheatley Sr. — Hamilton J. Robichaud High School (Dearborn Heights, MI)
- Donnell Thompson — Lumberton High School (Lumberton, NC)
- Lorenzo White — Dillard High School (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
- Antoine Winefield Sr. — Garfield High School (Akron, OH)
- Michael Vick — Warwick High School (Newport News, VA)
The official induction ceremony will be held on June 14 at McKinley High School and tickets are available online.
This story was originally published January 23, 2025 at 5:13 AM.
