Alex Duff of York, 10, on Sunday became the 9 millionth visitor to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. (Pro Football Hall of Fame photo)

Most guys get lifetime access to the Pro Football Hall of Fame after they are enshrined.

Alex Duff, however, was just in line.

Alex, a Dallastown Area Intermediate School student, happened to walk into the Canton, Ohio-based Hall of Fame on Sunday at the exact right time.

He was the 9 millionth visitor since the Hall opened in 1963.

So he got lifetime access for him and his family to the Hall, as well as a $1,000 gift card to the gift store.

And, for one day, he received the kind of Canton attention usually reserved for nimble running backs and gargantuan linemen.

"It's awesome," Alex said to summarize the experience.

The Duffs are on their way to Chicago after spending the weekend in Canton,

Alex, second from left, poses with brother Joshua Duff, mother Kristen Duff and father Bob Duff. (Pro Football Hall of Fame photo)

How it happened: Alex, 10, was joined on the visit by his mom, Kristen, dad, Bob, and 14-year-old brother, Josh.

Kristen saw Alex get blanketed by

video cameras when he entered ahead of his family, and she thought perhaps a documentary was being filmed.

Nope.

It was her son getting his 15 minutes of (Hall of) fame.

"His jaw just kind of dropped," Kristen recalled.

It all happened after a serendipitous decision to eat lunch before visiting the Hall of Fame on Sunday. After an hour, they walked in, and history was made.

The Duffs are big Steelers fans, so Alex already used some of his prize money on an autographed mini football helmet from Terry Bradshaw.

And they'll return to visit, Kristen said.

"When the Steelers win their seventh Super Bowl, we'll be back," she said.

-- Reach Andrew Shaw at ashaw@yorkdispatch.com