West Texas Has a Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame Museum

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I was taken completely by surprise when I discovered that Abilene and the surrounding area has a "Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame Museum." Yes, a real honest-to-goodness hall of fame museum. We've all heard those names of high school athletes that go to college and some who go into pro sports.

When Bryson Shake, who works for the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame Museum, reached out to try and bring attention to these local athletes. I said "we have a local hall of fame and it's a non-profit organization. Why haven't I had them on the radio yet?"

LOOK: These Are Inductees to the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame Museum

This is exactly what our community needs a place to let the brightest stars in our area shine. These young athletes, coaches, and other community leaders from around Taylor County need to be celebrated.

The Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame Museum is located inside the Mall of Abilene and is open for people to check out. However, I just learned from Bryson that they are going to be offering free admission into the Hall of Fame for anyone with a military ID. They are doing this to honor our local veterans during the month of November in honor of Veteran's Day.

Furthermore, on the Big Country Hall of Fames website, one can learn how to earn a scholarship for graduating high school seniors, and how to attend college. You'll also learn about student-athletes like Karen Scott Gilbreth who helped the Cooper Cougars to a three-year record of 57 to nothing and three consecutive 5A-Team tennis state championships.

How about Trey Richey who is the only person to win the six-man football state championship as both a player and a coach. He was the star running back and safety at Jayton High School where the jaybirds were undefeated and won back-to-back state 6-man football championships.

Or check out, Trey Todd who won back-to-back individual Class 3A State Championships in golf at Wylie High School in 2001 and 2002, or David Tollison was perhaps the best all-around player on Abilene Cooper's 1987 State Championship Baseball team.

These are but a few of the heroic stories that you'll get to hear and get to relive at the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame Museum inside the Mall of Abilene.

To learn more about this fantastic Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame Museum click here to check out their website.

LOOK: 50 images of winning moments from sports history

Sometimes images are the best way to honor the figures we've lost. When tragedy swiftly reminds us that sports are far from the most consequential thing in life, we can still look back on an athlete's winning moment that felt larger than life, remaining grateful for their sacrifice on the court and bringing joy to millions.

Read on to explore the full collection of 50 images Stacker compiled showcasing various iconic winning moments in sports history. Covering achievements from a multitude of sports, these images represent stunning personal achievements, team championships, and athletic perseverance.