Sports & Leisure

The nation's passion for sports is obvious every day—at NASCAR races, kiddie soccer matches, and countless other contests. From a handball used by Abraham Lincoln to Chris Evert's tennis racket to a baseball signed by Jackie Robinson, the roughly 6.000 objects in the Museum's sports collections bear witness to the vital place of sports in the nation's history. Paper sports objects in the collections, such as souvenir programs and baseball cards, number in the hundreds of thousands.

Leisure collections encompass a different range of objects, including camping vehicles and gear, video games, playing cards, sportswear, exercise equipment, and Currier and Ives prints of fishing, hunting, and horseracing. Some 4,000 toys dating from the colonial period to the present are a special strength of the collections.

Baseball autographed by Satchell Paige and the 1951 St.
Description
Baseball autographed by Satchell Paige and the 1951 St. Louis Browns.That season the Browns went 52-102, 8th in the American League.
Autographs include Satchel Paige; Ken Wood; Bob Young; Matt Bates; Fred Marsh; Sherm Lollar; Hank Arft; Frank Saucier; Jack Maguire; Bill Jennings; Jim Suchecki; Jim Delsing; Bob Mahoney.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1951
signer
Paige, Satchel
maker
Spalding
ID Number
2005.0195.01
accession number
2005.0195
catalog number
2005.0195.01
Baseball signed by the 1965 Los Angeles Dodgers.
Description
Baseball signed by the 1965 Los Angeles Dodgers. That season the Dodgers finished 97-65, 1st in the National League, winning the World Series over the Minnesota Twins 4 games to 3.
Autographs include Ron Fairly; Nate Oliver; Howie Reed; John Kennedy; Sandy Koufax; Don LeJohn; Maury Willis; Ron Perranoski; Hector Valle; Bill Singer; Jim Lefebvre; Derell Griffith; Jeff Torborg; Bob Miller; Lefty Phillips; Nick Willhite; Claude Osteen; Wally Moon.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1965
associated institution
Los Angeles Dodgers
signer
Fairly, Ron
Koufax, Sandy
Perranoski, Ron
Osteen, Claude
maker
Spalding
ID Number
1984.0228.01
accession number
1984.0228
catalog number
1984.0228.01
Baseball autographed by Don Drysdale (1936-1993). The right handed pitcher played for the Brooklyn/ Los Angeles Dodgers from 1956-1969.
Description
Baseball autographed by Don Drysdale (1936-1993). The right handed pitcher played for the Brooklyn/ Los Angeles Dodgers from 1956-1969. Drysdale finished his career with a win-loss record of 209-166, having been named to nine All-Star Teams and receiving the Cy Young Award in 1962. He was a contributor to three World Series Champion Dodger teams (1959, 1963 and 1965). Drysdale has had his number 53 retired by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and was elected into Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame in 1984.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960s
associated institution
Los Angeles Dodgers
signer
Drysdale, Don
maker
Spalding
ID Number
1984.0228.02
accession number
1984.0228
catalog number
1984.0228.02
Baseball signed by players and coaches who played on the Milwaukee Braves during the 1950s.Autographs include Mel Roach; Bucky Waters; Ed Mathews; John Logan; George Crowe; Danny O'Connell; Hank Aaron; Bill Bruton; Bobby Thomson; Del Crandall; Joe Adcock; Andy Pafko; Chuck Tanner
Description
Baseball signed by players and coaches who played on the Milwaukee Braves during the 1950s.
Autographs include Mel Roach; Bucky Waters; Ed Mathews; John Logan; George Crowe; Danny O'Connell; Hank Aaron; Bill Bruton; Bobby Thomson; Del Crandall; Joe Adcock; Andy Pafko; Chuck Tanner; Warren Spahn; Lew Burdette; Bob Buhl; Gene Conley; Chet Nichols; Ray Crone; Ernie Johnson.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1955
associated institution
Milwaukee Brewers
maker
Spalding
ID Number
CL.310547.160
accession number
310547
catalog number
310547.160
Baseball signed by the 1957 Milwaukee Braves. That year the Braves finished 95-59, 1st in the National League.
Description
Baseball signed by the 1957 Milwaukee Braves. That year the Braves finished 95-59, 1st in the National League. The team defeated the New York Yankees to win the World Series 4 games to 3.
Autographs include Warren Spahn; Satchel Paige; Johnny Sain; Eddie Mathews; Del Crandall; Red Schoendienst; Joe Adcock; Andy Pafko; Bob Hazle; Frank Torre; Felix Mantilla; Lew Burdette; Del Rice; Carl Sawatski; Nippy Jones; Juan Pizarro; Ernie Johnson; Bob Buhl; John DeMerit.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1957
maker
Spalding
ID Number
CL.310547.146
catalog number
310547.146
accession number
310547
Baseball signed by the 1950 Chicago Cubs. That season the Cubs finished 64-89, finishing 7th in National League.
Description
Baseball signed by the 1950 Chicago Cubs. That season the Cubs finished 64-89, finishing 7th in National League. While the ball is marked "Cubs-1949," the autographs correspond to the 1950 Chicago Cubs team.
Autographs include Frank Frisch; Preston Ward; Wayne Terwilliger; Roy Smalley; Bill Serena; Bob Borkowski; Andy Pafko; Hank Sauer; Mickey Owen; Phil Cavarretta; Rube Walker; Carmen Mauro; Hal Jeffcoat; Ron Northey; Hank Edwards; Bob Rush; Johnny Schmitz; Paul Minner; Frank Hiller; Monk Dubiel; Doyle Lade; Johnny Klippstein; Dutch Leonard.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1949
associated institution
Chicago Cubs
maker
Spalding
ID Number
CL.310547.157
accession number
310547
catalog number
310547.157
Baseball autographed by the 1971 Los Angeles Dodgers. That season the Dodgers finished 89-73, 2nd in the National League West.
Description

Baseball autographed by the 1971 Los Angeles Dodgers. That season the Dodgers finished 89-73, 2nd in the National League West. The autographed baseball was collected by American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996), who was also an avid baseball fan.

Autographs include Bill Sudakis; Willie Crawford; Jim Lefebvre; Bill Grabarkewitz; Jim Brewer; Sandy Vance; Don Sutton; Willie Crawford; Bill Buckner; Bill Singer; Hoyt Wilhelm; Bob O'Brien; Al Downing; Pete Mikkelsen; Maury Wills; Bill Russell; Tom Haller.

Location
Currently not on view
presentation date
1971
recipient
Fitzgerald, Ella
presenter
Los Angeles Dodgers
manufacturer
Spalding
ID Number
1996.0342.105
accession number
1996.0342
catalog number
1996.0342.105

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