Pro Football HOF Exec Dir JOE HORRIGAN, who has worked for the organization for 42 of its 55-plus years of existence, will "officially step down June 1, the 42nd anniversary of his first day in Canton," according to a front-page piece by Joe Scalzo of the Canton REPOSITORY. Horrigan said, "There was no one event or reason. It was just time, you know?" Scalzo notes for many years, Horrigan has "served as the face and voice" of the HOF to media outlets around the country. He has "served in many roles since arriving in Canton" in '77 and has "spent most of his career as a member" of the HOF's exec staff. Horrigan has "written a book due out in late August," titled "NFL CENTURY: THE RISE OF AMERICA'S GREATEST SPORTS LEAGUE." His retirement will "allow for promotional tours to publicize the book." The HOF has "changed dramatically since Horrigan arrived." The building was "still just a modest museum at that point, although it was undergoing its second expansion, growing from 34,000 square feet to 55,000 square feet." It is now 118,000 square feet and the campus will "continue to grow over the next decade thanks to the Johnson Control Hall of Fame Village project." Horrigan, who will "oversee the voting" for this year's HOF class on Feb. 2, will "continue to be involved with his radio show on Sirius" as well as the Black College HOF (Canton REPOSITORY, 1/23). Newsday's Bob Glauber writes, "Congratulations on a terrific career to Joe Horrigan, the longtime executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. One of the truly good people you'll ever meet" (TWITTER.com, 1/23).
