The first signs appeared over Jackson Township this past weekend, as colorful hot-air balloons filled the summer sky and families gathered for food, music and festivities. The Food Fest and Balloon Classic were more than the beginning of another community celebration. They were Canton and Stark County’s annual reminder that, for one unforgettable stretch each summer, the center of the football world is right here at home.

Alan Cedric Page’s journey began at Canton Central Catholic High School, where he graduated in 1963. A multi-sport standout, Page excelled in football and quickly distinguished himself as a disciplined and determined competitor. In a remarkable twist of fate, as a young man, he worked on a construction crew that helped build the Pro Football Hall of Fame—laying the literal groundwork for the very institution that would one day enshrine him as one of the game’s greatest playe