Amazing streak: Canton father and son have attended every HOF Game since 1990

CANTON – Richie Williams was 4 years old when he attended his first Hall of Fame Game in 1990.

He and his father Rick Williams haven't missed a single one since.

The Cleveland Browns vs. New York Jets game tonight will mark the Canton natives' 33^rd consecutive game.

“We’ve had a lot of good memories throughout the years,” said Richie Williams. “It’s always great to see the football season start here in Canton.”

The lengthy streak of attending Hall of Fame games has brought the pair new traditions, celebrity encounters and countless life lessons.

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First Hall of Fame Game Experiences

The 65-year-old Rick Williams’ Hall of Fame Game experiences began long before he had his son.

His first game was in 1969, when the Green Bay Packers beat the Atlanta Falcons 38-24.

After that, Rick tried his best to attend every game, until 1975. He was a 17-year-old restaurant employee, scheduled to work during the Hall of Fame Game. Unfortunately, he missed the game.

“At that time, I said, 'I will never miss another Hall of Fame football game as long as I’m healthy and here,’” said Rick, who is the chief financial officer of Beaver Excavating.

So, ever since 1975, Rick has kept his promise, attending 47 years in a row, except for cancellations in 2011 (lockout), 2016 (field conditions) and 2020 (COVID-19).

When Rick became a father, he wanted to share his love for football with his son Richie.

37-year-old Richie’s first Hall of Fame Game was in 1990 when the Chicago Bears defeated the Cleveland Browns 13-0.

Richie, a driver's license examiner for the Ohio Department of Public Safety, was too young to recall his first game, but ever since he was 4 years old, he has been what many would call a football super fan.

Since 1990, the father and son from Canton has collected enough memories to flood dozens of scrapbooks. Here are just a few of their fondest:

1993: Los Angeles Raiders defeat the Green Bay Packers

During the 1993 game, Rick recalls holding 7-year-old Richie up in the air.

As players passed by, Rick shouted at the Packers’ Reggie White.

“I said, ‘Hey Reggie, can you shake a 7-year-old’s hand?'” said Rick.

White approached the father-son duo and shook Richie’s hand, giving him a pat on the head.

“I thought that was really special,” said Rick, who appreciated players taking the time to interact with fans.

White passed away in 2004 and would later be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame posthumously in 2006.

Both Rick and Richie said it was an honor to meet the football star before he passed away.

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2001: St. Louis Rams defeat the Miami Dolphins

After the 2001 game, Richie stuck around with hopes to get autographs from players.

He came to the game with St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner's playing card.

He got Warner’s attention and the player agreed to autograph his card. Richie excitedly tucked the card into his game program.

By the time he got home that night, he opened his program only to find he had lost the signed card.

Though he was upset at the time, Richie said that the older he gets, the less he cares about autographs.

“It’s more about seeing the guys on the football field that put the blood, sweat and tears in, then finding that all that work pays off,” he said.

Traditions, old and new

The Williams family also has been attending the Canton Repository Grand Parade since it began 60 years ago.

“However long there’s been a parade, we’ve been going,” said Rick, who attends the event with his family every year.

Rick and Richie also have a pre-game tradition: Woody’s Rootbeer Stand.

Every year before attending the Hall of Fame Game, the two stop by Woody’s on Fulton Road NW for a special treat.

Whenever given the opportunity, the father and son also attend the Gold Jacket Hall of Fame Dinner, where football legends receive a gold jacket, bust and a ring to symbolize their spot at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Witnessing the Hall of Fame expansion

Because Rick and Richie Williams have attended every game for the past three decades, they have had the opportunity to watch the Hall of Fame evolve.

When Rick was in elementary school, he visited the Hall of Fame regularly. He said he recalls when the Hall of Fame consisted of just the rotunda.

“It's been neat to be part of that for 50-plus years,” said Rick.

Recently, they have been grateful to see the expansion of the Hall of Fame Village. They believe it will bring even more football fans to the place they call home.

“I think it's going to attract more people, a lot more business revenue for the area,” said Richie. “It’s putting Canton back on the map in a positive way.”

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A generational love for football

It is no secret that Rick and Richie Williams have a love for football, but where did their passion come from?

Rick said it all started with his father, Frank Williams.

Frank was Rick’s fourth grade football coach at St. Joan of Arc. Every weekend, Rick’s team had a 4 p.m. game.

Frank and the other youth football coaches would go to Mass, then take the team to lunch and a trip to the Pro Football Hall of Fame before their game.

Those weekend trips and games are what created Rick’s love for football.

Eventually, Rick would pass his passion down to his son.

Richie said he loves football thanks to his father, grandfather Frank Williams and other grandfather, Thomas Wyatt, a former Canton city police chief. (Editor's note: This story has been updated. See correction at bottom.)

Now, Richie has a 3-year-old daughter, Quinn.

Last year, Richie took Quinn to the Grand Parade where she could be seen proudly wearing a Tom Brady T-shirt.

He hopes to create special memories with Quinn the same way his father did with him at the Hall of Fame.

“The Hall of Fame is one of my favorite places on Earth and it’s just 10 minutes away from me,” said Richie.

From the Grand Parade to root beer to autographs and a celebration of legends, the Williamses look forward to continued traditions, old and new.

Contact Abreanna Blose by email at ablose@gannett.com or by phone at 330-580-8513.

Correction: Thomas Wyatt is a former Canton city police chief. His position was incorrect in an earlier version.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Rick and Richie Williams attended every Hall of Fame Game since 1990