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 signed by the 1949 Philadelphia Athletics.
Description
Baseball signed by the 1949 Philadelphia Athletics. That season, the A's finished 81-73, 5th in the American League.
Autographs include Connie Mack; Eddie Frost; Nellie Fox; Ferris Fain; Pete Suder; Eddie Joost; Hank Majeski; Wally Moses; Sam Chapman; Elmer Valo; Mike Guerra; Don White; Taffy Wright; Alex Kellner; Joe Coleman; Lou Brissie; Dick Fowler; Carl Scheib; Bobby Shantz.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1949
signer
Mack, Connie
Frost, Eddie
Fox, Nellie
maker
Harwood
ID Number
CL.310547.129
accession number
310547
catalog number
310547.129
Baseball signed by the 1933 New York Giants.
Description
Baseball signed by the 1933 New York Giants. That season the Giants went 91-61, winning the National League and beating the Washington Senators in the World Series 4 games to 1.
Autographs include Mel Ott; Carl Hubbell; Bill Terry; Hughie Critz; Blondy Ryan; Johnny Vergez; Kiddo Davis; Jo-Jo Moore; Gus Mancuso; Lefty O'Doul; Sam Leslie; Hal Schumacher; Freddie Fitzsimmons; Roy Parmelee; Hi Bell; Dolf Luque.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1933
associated institution
New York Giants
maker
Harwood
ID Number
CL.310547.136
accession number
310547
catalog number
310547.136
Baseball signed by the 1949 Chicago White Sox.
Description
Baseball signed by the 1949 Chicago White Sox. That season the White Sox finished 63-91, 6th in the American League.
Autographs include Luke Appling; Steve "Bud" Souchock; Ed Klieman; Fred Hancock; Mickey Haefner; Cass Michaels; Eddie Malone; Billy Pierce; Don Wheeler; Bob Kuzava; Floyd Baker; Howie Judson; Randy Gumpert; Marino "Chick" Pieretti; Ray Berres; Buster Mills.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1949
associated institution
Chicago White Sox
maker
Harwood
ID Number
CL.310547.118
accession number
CL*310547
catalog number
CL*310547.118
Baseball signed by the 1949 Boston Red Sox.
Description
Baseball signed by the 1949 Boston Red Sox. That season, the Red Sox finished 86-58, 2nd in the American League.
Autographs include Billy Goodman; Bobby Doerr; Vern Stephens; Johnny Pesky; Al Zarilla; Dom DiMaggio; Ted Williams; Birdie Tebbetts; Matt Batts; Mel Parnell; Ellis Kinder; Joe Dobson; Chuck Stobbs; Jack Kramer; Walt Masterson.
Location
Currently not on view
signer
McCarthy, Joe
DiMaggio, Dom
Doerr, Bob
maker
Harwood
ID Number
CL.310547.133
accession number
310547
catalog number
310547.133
Baseball signed by the 1943 New York Yankees. That season the Yankees finished 98-56, winning the World Series over the St.
Description
Baseball signed by the 1943 New York Yankees. That season the Yankees finished 98-56, winning the World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals 4 games to 1.
Autographs include Joe McCarthy; Spud Chandler; Joe Gordon; Frank Crosetti; Bill Dickey; Billy Johnson; Nick Etten; Charlie Keller; Tuck Stainback; Johnny Lindell; Bud Metheny; Marius Russo; Hank Borowy; Tiny Bonham; Roy Weatherly; Snuffy Stirnweiss.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1943
associated institution
New York Yankees
maker
Harwood
ID Number
CL.310547.124
accession number
310547
catalog number
310547.124
Baseball signed by the 1949 Philadelphia Phillies.
Description
Baseball signed by the 1949 Philadelphia Phillies. That season the Phillies finished 81-73, 3rd in the National League.
Autographs include Schoolboy Rowe; Curt Simmons; Stan Lopato; Robin Roberts; Dick Sisler; Eddie Miller; Granny Hamner; Willie Jones; Bill Nicholson; Richie Ashburn; Del Ennis; Andy Seminick; Stan Hollmig; Eddie Waitkus; Mike Goliat; Buddy Blattner; Ken Heintzelman; Russ Meyer; Hank Borowy; Curt Simmons; Jim Konstanty.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1949
associated institution
Philadelphia Phillies
maker
Harwood
ID Number
CL.310547.135
accession number
310547
catalog number
310547.135
Baseball signed by the 1949 Cincinnati Reds.
Description
Baseball signed by the 1949 Cincinnati Reds. That season, the Reds finished 62-92, 7th in the National League.
Autographs include Dixie Howell; Bucky Waters; Ted Kluszewski; Jimmy Bloodworth; Virgil Stallcup; Grady Hatton; Johnny Wyrostek; Lloyd Merriman; Peanuts Lowrey; Walker Cooper; Harry Walker; Danny Litwhiler; Bobby Adams; Dixie Howell; Ken Raffensberger; Howie Fox; Herm Wehmeier; Johny Vander Meer; Eddie Erautt; Buddy Lively; Ewell Blackwell.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1949
associated institution
Cincinnati Reds
maker
Harwood
ID Number
CL.310547.142
accession number
310547
catalog number
310547.142
Autographed baseball signed by the 1949 Detroit Tigers.
Description
Autographed baseball signed by the 1949 Detroit Tigers. That season the Tigers finished 87-67, 4th in the American League.
Autographs include Johnny Groth; Paul Campbell; Neil Berry; Johnny Lipon; George Kell; Vic Wertz; Johnny Groth; Hoot Evers; Aaron Robinson; Don Kolloway; Pat Mullin; Eddie Lake; Bob Swift; Hal Newhouser; Virgil Trucks; Art Houtteman; Ted Gray; Fred Hutchinson; Dizzy Trout; Red Rolfe.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1949
associated institution
Detroit Tigers
maker
Harwood
ID Number
CL.310547.121
accession number
310547
catalog number
310547.121
Baseball signed by the 1943 St. Louis Cardinals.
Description
Baseball signed by the 1943 St. Louis Cardinals. That season the Cardinals finished 105-49, 1st in the National League, losing to the New York Yankees in the World Series 4 games to 1.
Autographs include Stan Musial; Lou Klein; Whitey Kurowski; Harry Walker; Walker Cooper; Ray Sanders; Danny Litwhiler; Marty Marion; Mort Cooper; Debs Garms; Johnny Hopp; Max Lanier; Al Brazle; Ken O'Dea; Frank Demaree; Sam Narron; Ernie White.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1943
signer
Musial, Stan
maker
Harwood
ID Number
CL.310547.151
accession number
310547
catalog number
310547.151
Baseball signed by the 1949 Pittsburgh Pirates.
Description
Baseball signed by the 1949 Pittsburgh Pirates. That season, the Pirates finished 71-83, 6th in the National League.
Autographs include Johnny Hopp; Monty Basgall; Stan Rojek; Pete Castiglione; Wally Westlake; Dino Restelli; Ralph Kiner; Clyde McCollough; Danny Murtaugh; Ed Stevens; Eddie Bockman; Tom Saffell; Dixie Walker; Ed Fitz Gerald; Murry Dickson; Bill Werle; Lefty Chambers; Bob Chesnes; Vic Lombardi; Eddie Bonham; Elmer Riddle; Hugh Casey; Billy Meyer.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1949
associated institution
Pittsburg Pirates
maker
Harwood
ID Number
CL.310547.140
accession number
310547
catalog number
310547.140
Autographed baseball signed by the 1949 Washington Senators.
Description
Autographed baseball signed by the 1949 Washington Senators. That season the Senators finished 50-104, 8th in the American League.
Autographs include Eddie Robinson; Al Kozar; Sam Dente; Eddie Yost; Bud Stewart; Clyde Vollmer; Gil Coan; Al Evans; Sherry Robertson; Sam Mele; Buddy Lewis; Sid Hudson; Ray Scarborough; Paul Calvert; Mickey Harris; Lloyd Hittle; Joe Haynes; Dick Weik; Mickey Haefner; Joe Kuhel.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1949
associated institution
Washington Senators
maker
Harwood
ID Number
CL.310547.115
accession number
CL*310547
catalog number
CL*310547.115
Baseball signed by the 1949 New York Yankees.
Description
Baseball signed by the 1949 New York Yankees. That year the Yankees won the American League with a 97-57 record, winning the World Series by beating the Brooklyn Dodgers 4 games to 1.
Autographs include Joe DiMaggio; Yogi Berra; Joe Page; Allie Reynolds; Bobby Brown; Tommy Henrich; Jerry Coleman; Phil Rizzuto; Hank Bauer; Cliff Mapes; Gene Woodling; Billy Johnson; Johnny Lindell; Dick Kryhoski; Snuffy Stirnweiss; Vic Raschi; Eddie Lopat; Tommy Byrne; Joe Page; Fred Sanford.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1949
associated institution
New York Yankees
signer
DiMaggio, Joe
Berra, Yogi
Page, Joe
Reynolds, Allie
Brown, Bobby
maker
Harwood
ID Number
CL.310547.125
accession number
310547
catalog number
310547.125
Baseball signed by the 1949 St. Louis Browns.
Description
Baseball signed by the 1949 St. Louis Browns. That season the Browns finished 53-101, 7th in the American League.
Autographs include Zack Taylor; Roy Sievers; Jack Graham; Jerry Priddy; Eddie Pellagrini; Bob Dillinger; Dick Kokos; Stan Spence; Roy Sievers; Sherm Lollar; Paul Lehner; Les Moss; Whitey Platt; John Sullivan; Ned Garver; Bill Kennedy; Cliff Fannin; Al Papai; Joe Ostrowski; Karl Drews; Red Embree; Tom Ferrick.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1949
associated institution
St. Louis Browns
maker
Harwood
ID Number
CL.310547.116
accession number
CL*310547
catalog number
CL*310547.116
Baseball signed by the 1949 New York Giants.
Description
Baseball signed by the 1949 New York Giants. That season the Giants finished 73-81, 5th in the National League.
Autographs include Leo Durocher; Bob Thomson; Sam Webb; Don Mueller; Johnny Mize; Hank Thompson; Buddy Kerr; Sid Gordon; Willard Marshall; Whitey Lockman; Wes Westrum; Bill Rigney; Jack Lohrke; Ray Mueller; Walker Cooper; Larry Jansen; Monty Kennedy; Dave Koslo; Sheldon Jones.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1949
associated institution
New York Giants
maker
Harwood
ID Number
CL.310547.137
accession number
310547
catalog number
310547.137

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