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.

This Tenite plastic yo-yo was made by the Duncan Toys Company in the 1960s. It is unopened on a display card that reads "Duncan Mardi Gras Yo-yo Return Top, no. 700." The card features an image of a man in a party hat and mask.
Description (Brief)
This Tenite plastic yo-yo was made by the Duncan Toys Company in the 1960s. It is unopened on a display card that reads "Duncan Mardi Gras Yo-yo Return Top, no. 700." The card features an image of a man in a party hat and mask. The yo-yo has flat sides with a metal axle and an abstract white, red, black and glitter design .
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1960s
maker
Duncan
ID Number
2002.0246.55
accession number
2002.0246
catalog number
2002.0246.55
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
19th century
maker
Bennett, Henry Hamilton
ID Number
1977.1062.129
accession number
1977.1062
catalog number
1977.1062.129
This plastic yo-yo was made by the Duncan Toys Company in the 1960s. It is unopened on its original a display card reading “Duncan Official Mickey Mouse Club Yo-yo Return Top.” It has flat sides and transparent view lenses.
Description (Brief)
This plastic yo-yo was made by the Duncan Toys Company in the 1960s. It is unopened on its original a display card reading “Duncan Official Mickey Mouse Club Yo-yo Return Top.” It has flat sides and transparent view lenses. Paper inserts feature colorful drawings of Walt Disney Company characters Mickey and Minnie Mouse. This yo-yo is one example of three Duncan Imperial Jr. models featuring Disney characters.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1960s
maker
Duncan
ID Number
2002.0246.54
accession number
2002.0246
catalog number
2002.0246.54
This wooden yo-yo was made by the Duncan Toys Company in the 1960s. It is displayed on a white, teal, and black display card. The yo-yo has rounded sides with a red glitter and white rims. There are holes through both rims that creates a whistling sound when spun.
Description (Brief)
This wooden yo-yo was made by the Duncan Toys Company in the 1960s. It is displayed on a white, teal, and black display card. The yo-yo has rounded sides with a red glitter and white rims. There are holes through both rims that creates a whistling sound when spun. This model was part of Duncan’s "Satellite" line, inspired by the era's space race.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1960s
maker
Duncan
ID Number
2002.0246.50
accession number
2002.0246
catalog number
2002.0246.50
This yellow, wooden "Duncan Tournament" yo-yo was made by the Duncan Toys Company frin around 1960-1965. Known as a “crossed flags” model, it is the last iteration of Duncan's "Tournament" line in wood. It is mounted on a display card featuring an image of the mascot “Mr.
Description (Brief)
This yellow, wooden "Duncan Tournament" yo-yo was made by the Duncan Toys Company frin around 1960-1965. Known as a “crossed flags” model, it is the last iteration of Duncan's "Tournament" line in wood. It is mounted on a display card featuring an image of the mascot “Mr. Yo-Yo” and the slogan “If it isn't Duncan it isn't Yo-Yo.”
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1960s
maker
Duncan
ID Number
2002.0246.49
accession number
2002.0246
catalog number
2002.0246.49
In 1957, Milwaukee Braves Fred Hanley sent this autographed postcard to the Treasurer of Pennsylvania’s Lebanon Valley League, thanking him for a "good luck charm".Hanley (1896-1977) was an infielder in Major League Baseball from 1922-1927 and in 1929.
Description
In 1957, Milwaukee Braves Fred Hanley sent this autographed postcard to the Treasurer of Pennsylvania’s Lebanon Valley League, thanking him for a "good luck charm".
Hanley (1896-1977) was an infielder in Major League Baseball from 1922-1927 and in 1929. In 1939 he began his managerial career, leading the St. Louis Browns for three unsuccessful seasons. After time doing radio play-by-play and managing in the Pacific Coast League, he returned to the Majors in 1953 to helm the Pittsburgh Pirates. After three seasons, Haney left the Pirates to manage the Milwaukee Braves.
Leading a Braves club replete with superstars such as outfielder Hank Aaron, pitcher Warren Spahn, and third baseman Eddie Matthews, Haney brought the Braves to their first World Series Championship in 1957. Despite his success with the team, a poor showing in 1959 led to Haney’s leaving the organization.
In 1961, Haney was named the first General Manager of the Los Angeles Angels expansion team, a position he would hold until 1968.
thru person
Rinsland, George
depicted
Harvey, Fred
associated institution
Milwaukee Braves
ID Number
CL.310547.103G
accession number
310547
catalog number
310547.103G
Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron (b.1934) first began playing professional baseball as a teenage shortstop for the Negro League's Indianapolis Clowns.Aaron joined Major League Baseball in 1952, signing a contract with the National League's Milwaukee Braves.
Description
Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron (b.1934) first began playing professional baseball as a teenage shortstop for the Negro League's Indianapolis Clowns.
Aaron joined Major League Baseball in 1952, signing a contract with the National League's Milwaukee Braves. Aaron played right-field for the Braves for almost the entirety of major league tenure, following the club in its move to Atlanta in 1966. In 1975 he returned to Milwaukee as a member of the city's new team, the Brewers, for his final season.
On April 8, 1974, Aaron hit his record setting 715th home run, besting the mark set by Babe Ruth, who last set the record in 1935. Finishing his career with 755, "The Hammer" was baseball's home run king until 2007, when he was overtaken by Barry Bonds.
Aaron's on-field exploits fill baseball's record books. Finishing his career with a .305 batting average, the 25 time all-star still holds records for most total bases (6,856) and RBI (2,297.) Besides being second in all-time home runs, Aaron is currently third all-time in hits (3,771) and in games played (3,298.)
Aaron dealt with racism throughout his career. As he neared Ruth's mark, he received thousands of letters daily, much of it hate mail, including threats to his life. In 1976, Aaron was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for outstanding achievement by an African American. Inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, Aaron was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George Bush in 2002.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1963 - 1964
user
Aaron, Hank
maker
MacGregor
ID Number
2017.0084.05
accession number
2017.0084
catalog number
2017.0084.05
This bat was used by Hank Aaron in the 1957 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, held at Busch Stadium in St.
Description
This bat was used by Hank Aaron in the 1957 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, held at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron (b.1934) first began playing professional baseball as a teenage shortstop for the Negro League's Indianapolis Clowns.
Aaron joined Major League Baseball in 1952, signing a contract with the National League's Milwaukee Braves. Aaron played right-field for the Braves for almost the entirety of major league tenure, following the club in its move to Atlanta in 1966. In 1975 he returned to Milwaukee as a member of the city's new team, the Brewers, for his final season.
On April 8, 1974, Aaron hit his record setting 715th home run, besting the mark set by Babe Ruth, who last set the record in 1935. Finishing his career with 755, "The Hammer" was baseball's home run king until 2007, when he was overtaken by Barry Bonds.
Aaron's on-field exploits fill baseball's record books. Finishing his career with a .305 batting average, the 25 time all-star still holds records for most total bases (6,856) and RBI (2,297.) Besides being second in all-time home runs, Aaron is currently third all-time in hits (3,771) and in games played (3,298.)
Aaron dealt with racism throughout his career. As he neared Ruth's mark, he received thousands of letters daily, much of it hate mail, including threats to his life. In 1976, Aaron was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for outstanding achievement by an African American. Inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, Aaron was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George Bush in 2002.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1957
user
Aaron, Hank
maker
Hillerich & Bradsby Co.
ID Number
2017.0084.06
model number
A93
accession number
2017.0084
catalog number
2017.0084.06
A set of playing cards, probably made of celluloid, contained in an alligator-patterned two-part faux leather case. Pockets on either side of the case contain a game marker.
Description (Brief)
A set of playing cards, probably made of celluloid, contained in an alligator-patterned two-part faux leather case. Pockets on either side of the case contain a game marker. The markers have celluloid discs that indicate "Trump," "Games," and "Points." The cards were manufactured by W. P. Co. of Racine, Wis. They picture an avenue lined with palm trees.
W. P. Co. was the Western Printing Company, also known as the Western Printing and Lithograph Company, the name under which it was incorporated in 1910.
The company did a variety of commercial printing from stationery and paper goods to games, puzzles, books, and comic books. It is best known as the publisher and printer of Little Golden Books in partnership with Simon and Schuster.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1939
maker
Western Publishing Co., Inc.
ID Number
2006.0098.1472
catalog number
2006.0098.1472
accession number
2006.0098
The cheesehead hat is worn by fans of Wisconsin sporting teams.
Description
The cheesehead hat is worn by fans of Wisconsin sporting teams. The term Cheeshead originated as an insult coined by opposing fans from neigbouring Illinois, a term referencing Wisconsin's role as America's Dairy capital.
The moniker was embraced by Wisconsinites, with inventor Ralph Bruno intventing the first foam cheeshead hat in 1987. Official hats, produced by Bruno's Foamation Company, are often worn by spectators attending local games featuring such teams as the Milwaukee Brewers, the University of Wisconsin Badgers, and the Green Bay Packers.
This example was purchased at the University Bookstore in Madison, Wisconsin.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1999
Associated Name
Green Bay Packers
maker
Foamation
ID Number
2000.3010.01
nonaccession number
2000.3010
catalog number
2000.3010.01

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