Why donate to the Sports Legends of Cleveland, a 501(c)(3) non-profit?

Because this legacy deserves to be preserved — and only a community effort can do it.

For more than 120 years, Cleveland’s Senate League has shaped young athletes, strengthened neighborhoods, and produced champions across every arena of life — not just in sports, but in leadership, education, and community service. Yet much of this remarkable history was never documented, archived, or celebrated. Without intentional investment, these stories risk being forgotten.

A donation to the Sports Legends of Cleveland is more than a gift. It is an act of preservation, empowerment, and community pride.

1. You help protect a century of Cleveland sports history.

The league dates back to 1904, with generations of athletes, coaches, and teams who made Cleveland sports iconic. Your contribution fuels:

• Archival research
• Oral histories
• Digital preservation
• Historical documentation
• Permanent records that have never existed before

You help ensure these stories are not lost.

2. You support a project that unifies every Senate League school — past, present, and future.

This is the only initiative that brings together all the high schools in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District around their shared sports heritage. Donations strengthen a project that connects alums, students, families, and educators across decades.

3. You make the Hall of Fame and major community events possible.

From sold-out galas to induction ceremonies honoring athletes, coaches, and trailblazers, your support sustains the celebration of legends such as:

• Troy Smith (Heisman Trophy Winner)
• Arthur Matsu (1st Asian-American NFL quarterback)
• Barbara Turner (NCAA Champion & All-American)
• Ted Ginn Jr. (NFL Super Bowl player)
• Wesley Carroll, Joey Maxim, Monica Gary, and many more

These stories inspire the next generation.

4. You help fund the first-ever documentary chronicling the Cleveland Senate League.

A significant donation focus is producing a documentary that captures:

• Over a century of sports excellence
• Cleveland’s unique athletic culture
• The impact of coaches, educators, and community leaders
• The lived stories of legends rarely highlighted in mainstream media

Your generosity directly shapes this historic film.

5. You invest in youth, education, and community pride.

This project does more than honor the past — it inspires the future.

Your support:

• Creates educational resources for students
• Provides role models rooted in their own neighborhoods
• Connects youth to stories of perseverance and achievement
• Strengthens local identity and community spirit

Young athletes get to see themselves in the champions who came before them.

6. You help keep Cleveland history in Cleveland's hands.

Cleveland alums built this project for Cleveland’s communities. Donations help ensure:

• The work stays local
• The voices of real athletes and families are centered
• The legacy remains in the hands of people who lived it and love it

7. Because if we don’t preserve this history now, we risk losing it forever.

Time is working against us. Coaches, alums, and athletes are aging. Photos fade. Records disappear. First-hand stories vanish.

Your donation makes sure none of it is lost. In addition, the organization is 100% volunteer-run. 100% of donations fund operations.