The Hall of Fame of Halls of Fame

There’s much handwringing today in Baseballville as the vote for this year’s Hall of Fame class is set to be announced at 2pm ET.

Certainly, the National Baseball Hall of Fame is important — not just to fans of the sport but also, owing to the meaning of the sport, the country generally.

But there are other some other pretty great halls of fame in this big, wide world. Below, please find a list of the more notable ones — a Hall of Fame of Halls of Fame, if you will.

Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame (Video Games)
Last year, Mark Cerny, inventor of Marble Madness, was inducted.

Burlesque Hall of Fame
Yes, please!

Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame (Salón de la Fama del Béisbol Cubano)
From Wikipedia: “With the discontinuation of professional baseball in Cuba in 1961 and its replacement by the amateur Cuban national baseball system, election of new members in Cuba ceased.” Another organization, the Federation of Professional Cuban Baseball Players in Exile (Federación de Peloteros Profesionales Cubanos en el Exilio), has held elections in Miami more recently.

Dance Music Hall of Fame
From Wikipedia (emphasis so mine): “When the nominees were selected the ballots were sent to an international voting committee of over 1,000 dance music experts.”

Hall of Fame for Great Americans
The first Hall of Fame in the US of A, located on the grounds of the Bronx Community College. Has fallen into disrepair and has inducted no members since 1976.

Insurance Hall of Fame
First inductee: Benjamin Franklin. Boom!

Mascot Hall of Fame
Controversy has surrounded this Hall for years, as the exclusion of the Stanford Tree is viewed by some as criminal.

Military Intelligence Hall of Fame
Also known as the Oxymoron Hall of Fame. (Wocka. Wocka.)

National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame
Not, not, not, not, not, not located in Kentucky.

Polka Hall of Fame
Among other things you might learn from this Hall’s website: the polka tradition began in Slovenia.

South Dakota Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
At least ten times better than the North Dakota version.

Walhalla Temple
The first Hall of Fame ever. Members include Arnulf the Bad; the anonymous author of the Nibelungenlied (obviously); and Theodoric I, King of the Visigoths.