The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to encourage excellence through sports, academics, health and fitness; preserving our sports heritage while building pride in Oklahoma in the spirit of Jim Thorpe. Established in 1986, originally as the Jim Thorpe Association, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame’s main goal is to promote Oklahoma, while honoring and recognizing great Oklahoman's who have represented the state positively at not only the state level, but also the national and international levels. In August of 2013, the two brands, which were literally the same organization with the same administration, same board of directors and same values, selected the name "Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame" as the cohesive umbrella brand of the organization going forward. Each year, we honor individuals by inducting them into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. In addition to the Hall of Fame, we are nationally recognized for the Jim Thorpe Museum and annually awarding the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award to the top defensive back in college football. We are also home to the Warren Spahn Award, given annually to the best left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Throughout the last 30 years, we have been a leading advocate for promoting healthy lifestyles in the school children of Oklahoma. We are proud to give back to the community each year through our Bright Path Youth Program, including the state's largest drug free initiative, Red Ribbon Week.