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Following more than a few delays, the Hometown Athletes sign was finally put back together last week.

The sign, which honors Weirtonians who have made it to the highest level of athletics, can be traced back to 2014 and a bit of trivia on the game show “Jeopardy,” which noted Weir Avenue as the street which had been home to the highest number of professional athletes in the country.

The Weirton Area Chamber of Commerce and the Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center joined forces, gathering research on the names of Weirton-born professional athletes and financial support for the development of the sign which features a goalpost from the former Jimmy Carey Stadium.

It was placed on a hill overlooking the intersection of Weir Avenue and Cove Road, on property now belonging to the Frontier Group of Companies. Unfortunately, after only a few years, the sign was damaged during a heavy storm. The COVID pandemic resulted in various delays for needed repairs.

Last week, through the efforts of the welding classes at the John D. Rockefeller IV Career Center, under the guidance of instructor Jim Chappell, and assistance from employees at Cleveland-Cliffs who provided a crane and lift, the sign was made whole.

We thank the Weirton Chamber for its vigilance in getting the sign restored, the career center students and Chappell and Dan Enich for their work, and Cleveland-Cliffs for their assistance.

Today, there are 30 names listed, with the possibility of more.

We often know the local impact the people of Weirton have on the Ohio Valley. This sign shows a little bit of the reach Weirton has had on the nation, and we are glad to see it back where it belongs.Sign has impact on community