Tuscarawas County Sports Hall of Fame accepting 2026 nominations

DOVER (WJER) (Jan. 29, 2026) – The Tuscarawas County Sports Hall of Fame is now taking nominations for its next class in 2026.

That will be the hall’s third class, as inducted in even-numbered years.

Hall board member and secretary Jim Gill says nominees can include standout athletes, championship teams, and even longtime athletic program contributors.

Gill says there are some basic rules to be considered for nomination, which can be found at the hall’s section on the Dover Public Library website.  Nominations are reviewed as they come in and will be accepted through August 15^th.

“We don’t sit on them and wait until August 15^th. We look into them, we vet them, we make sure they meet the criteria,” he said.

Gill says the selection committee – with board members from each school district in the county – aims to induct between 18 and 22 applicants per class.

“It’s countywide. It’s not a Dover – New Philadelphia thing. It’s very important to us that everybody’s represented and that they have a chance and a voice to nominate their athletes from their area,” he said.

Nomination forms can be found online and at the Dover Public Library.

Gill says the names chosen for the 2026 class will be revealed next January and honored at an event the following June.

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