Hours for the Sports History Exhibition are:
Saturday & Sunday, Dec 7 & 8, from 10 am to 3 pm, 168 Hayden Rowe.

Historical Society regular hours are:
Monday’s from 2 pm to 5 pm.

Hopkinton, incorporated in 1715, has evolved from its agricultural roots to become a vibrant suburb known for its strong emphasis on sports and community involvement. From high school athletics to community sports leagues, the history of sports in Hopkinton is more than just wins and trophies but a story intertwined with the town’s identity.

A Legacy of Coaching and Community

Aubrey Doyle, Sr. was a pillar of Hopkinton sports lore and leaves an indelible mark on the town’s athletic topography as one of its most important figures. He coached football and baseball at the local high school for many seasons, and he influenced more young athletes than anyone could possibly count.

After the death of Aubrey Sr. in 2022, his son Aubrey Doyle Jr. was the recipient of all the material that his dad had saved through the years. It’s an enormous archive of all different sports. Doyle Jr began to take on cataloging his treasure trove of sports memorabilia that includes photos, hardware, and an archive of town athletic achievements. The Hopkinton Historical Society has been working with him to display the collection, which now boasts a mix of items such as scrapbooks that are decades old and trophies recently donated by locals.

Preserving History Through Exhibits

The Historical Society is dedicated to presenting Hopkinton’s sports history to the public. With the help of volunteers such as Aubrey Jr., they are responsible for putting together exhibitions celebrating not just high school sports but all athletic endeavors in the community. Displays will include the Hopkinton Lions, a top cricket team that has recently captured winning titles, and a dedicated case to the Boston Marathon, which is an important part of the town’s heritage.

Besides physical things, the society is also using state-of-the-art technological advances to make the past come alive. Using previously recorded HCAM video showing interviews and snippets of the game, people can relive the excitement of Hopkinton sports like it was being played years ago. This very personal snapshot of the past is bound to intrigue both old-timers and newcomers.

Engaging the Community

The Historical Society is more than a storehouse of objects and manuscripts – it is a dynamic public resource. The society, which will be open from 10 AM to 3 PM THIS SATURDAY and SUNDAY, asks residents to come take a look at the thousands of historic items in its collection and tell Hopkinton’s story.

Additionally, the society is eager to highlight sports that often remain overlooked. The varsity cheer team, most recently competing at the state level and doing very well, was cited for athleticism, involvement. The Historical Society has a scrapbook from 1940 to the present that shows the story of the cheerleaders, which emphasizes why it is important to tell inclusive sports narratives.

Celebrating Local Icons

Speaking of Hopkinton sports history, two notable members from our town were George V. Brown and his son Walter A. Brown. George was instrumental in the development of the Boston Marathon and helped to create the Boston Athletic Association. Boston Celtics founder Walter A. Brown was a son of George V. Brown and helped to sign NBA legend Bill Russell. Their legacy is remembered with exhibits celebrating their place in local and national sports history.

Looking Ahead

After all, the more Hopkinton grows, the more its sporting tradition grows. Its memory is being kept alive by the Historical Society, which endeavors to preserve this heritage and thus promote greater involvement with the community.

The sports history of Hopkinton is a story of spirit, resilience, and community pride. Thanks in part to the tireless work of many individuals and organizations, that legacy will remain an inspiration for generations of athletes and sports fans. Hopkinton is a sports-rich town that continually offers new experiences, whether you’re a long-time resident or someone who has recently moved here for the excellent schools.

The Town of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, is in Middlesex County, MA, approximately 30 miles west of downtown Boston, and the Town has a current population of approximately 18,000 residents.  The English settlement of Hopkinton, (called Quansigamog by the local Indians) owes its beginnings to a bequest of money made to Harvard College by an English gentleman, Edward Hopkins. College trustees invested the money by purchasing the territory and naming it for its donor – “Hopkinstown”, or “Hopkinton”, and leased the land to tenants for one penny an acre.  Years later, with the help of the Legislature, a sum of $10,000 was paid to the Corporation of Harvard College, and the Town was incorporated December 13, 1715. (2024 by Hopkinton Historical Society, About Our Society)