(WHBC) – Northeast Ohio is well represented in a new sports exhibit at the Ohio History Center in Columbus.

The exhibit, called Ohio – Champion of Sports, showcases the Buckeye State’s tremendous sports history with stories and oral histories from a variety of athletes, coaches, owners and fans.

People from the Canton area will especially enjoy the section dedicated to the Massillon – McKinley football rivalry.

There’s also a book on display called Pro Football: Its Ups and Downs, which is the earliest history of pro football.

It was written by Dr. Harry March, of Canton, who was team doctor for the Canton Bulldogs.

There’s also exhibits on Paul Brown and Mike Brown, Lebron James and the Indians’ Larry Doby, who became the first African American player in the American League when Cleveland signed him in 1947.

“We have his original contract on loan from the Indians,” said the center’s Nick Evans.

“It shows you the history of that signature, where he becomes the first black player in the MLB in the American League as Jackie Robinson was just 3 months earlier in the National League.”

Evans says that contract is probably his favorite piece in the exhibit.

The exhibit is full of other really cool things, like one of Woody Hayes’ notebooks, which is opened to a page that has a motivational quote from the iconic Ohio State Football coach.

The Ohio History Center is just off of Interstate 71, near Columbus Crew Stadium and the Ohio State Fairgrounds.

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