At 58 Jackson St. West in Hamilton there’s a special section within the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum.

The Zone of Champions, as it is commonly known as, features a display of the 244 steel busts representing all the Hall of Famers. In essence, it is the home of the Hall of Fame family.

From September 14-18, the Calgary Stampeders will host the Canadian Football Hall of Fame Induction Weekend. The weekend serves as a platform for players and builders across the country to be recognized for having made an outstanding contribution to the sport of football. All proceeds of the weekend will be donated to the Greater Calgary Amateur Football Association and the not-for-profit Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum.

The 2011 class includes two Stampeders alumni – receiver Terry Vaughn and quarterback Danny McManus. Builders Don Matthews and the late Gino Fracas along with players Joe Montford, Ken Lehmann and Chris Flynn bring the number of members to 251.

“If you consider the Hall of Fame a team, well it’s actually the best team I’ve ever had,” said Matthews, the CFL’s all-time winningest coach when he retired. “I look to my left and I see David Fennell as my defensive tackle and then to my right and there’s Doug Flutie . . . and the list goes on.

“Although my story is a little different than that of a player inductee. I am being inducted on the players’ shoulders. I am here through their efforts not mine. I am here because of their hard work.”

Now 72, Matthews spends the majority of this time watching his grandchildren play football. In some respects, he feels he received a second chance at life. Matthews was rarely able to see his children play because of his busy football schedule.

But when the announcement came of his induction, it was a special moment for the coach who impacted so many players.

“The Hall of Fame is an accumulation of life’s work for me,” he said. “It’s about all the people that I have met along the way and have become associated with. It’s an unbelievable honour, the single most impressive honour to have had at the end of my life’s work and an even greater privilege to share this experience with my three sons, Mike, Mark and Patrick.”

Meanwhile, sitting 2,600 miles away is Joe Montford tending to his two-year-old son.

“As an American, you’re not too sure about the league,” said the five-time CFL all-star defensive end, “but then you meet people like Angelo Mosca, Tracy Ham and Don Sutherin and you begin to experience how hard they’ve worked to be a part of the CFL and you just want to be part of the same thing. I am truly blessed to have played in a game as rich as this.”

The induction weekend brings with it seven separate events, four of which are open to the general public including a Charity Poker Tournament, Welcome Breakfast and Gala Dinner, not to mention the Hall of Fame Game where the Stampeders take on the BC Lions.

“I know Calgary will put on quite a show, they always have,” said Montford. “I have a genuine respect for their fans.

Simply put, Canada has a rich football legacy, something that will be evident to Calgarians and Canadians during the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum Induction Weekend ceremonies.

“The CFL is an integral part of Canadian football history,” said Matthews, “and to be able to relive some of these moments with the players is a unique experience that you won’t want to miss. I’m just as curious as the average Joe to see if my bust will have hair or not.”

The Hall of Fame Induction Weekend will be a must-attend event for the fans of the Canadian Football League.