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.

Text and photograph from Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the War, Vol. II. Negative by David Knox, text and positive by Alexander Gardner.The monotony of camp life was relieved by every variety of amusement that was known, or could be devised.
Description
Text and photograph from Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the War, Vol. II. Negative by David Knox, text and positive by Alexander Gardner.
The monotony of camp life was relieved by every variety of amusement that was known, or could be devised. During the periods of inactivity, base ball, cricket, gymnastics, foot races, &c., were indulged in to a great extent, and on holidays horse races, foot races, and other games were allowed. Sometimes the men would put up a greased pole, with a prize on the top, for anyone who succeeded in climbing up to it, and not unfrequently a pig would be turned loose with a shaved and greased tail, for the men to catch. Any grip but a "tail hold" was illegitimate, but he who seized and held the pig by this appendage, carried it off in triumph to his mess.
Cock fighting, however, was quite unusual, and seldom permitted, except when some of the contrabands incited their captured Shanghais, or more ignoble fowls, to combat. Such displays were always ludicrous, and were generally exhibited for the amusement of the mess for whom the feathered bipeds were intended. Horses and mules perished by hundreds from ill-usage, but with thin exception it would be exceedingly difficult to cite an instance of cruelty to animals in the army. Fowls, dogs, kittens, and even wild animals, were made pets of, and were cared for most tenderly. Sometimes a regiment would adopt a dog, and woe to the individual who ventured to maltreat it. Several of the Western regiments carried pet bears with them, and one regiment was accompanied by a tame eagle in all its campaigns.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1864-08
maker
Gardner, Alexander
ID Number
1986.0711.0283.26
accession number
1986.0711
catalog number
1986.0711.0283.26
All-American Glee Club. side 1: Rambling Wreck From Georgia Tech (track 1) Hail to Georgia (track 2) Cavalier Song/Virginia, Hail, All Hail (track 3); side 2: Carolina's Day (track 1) Hark!
Description
All-American Glee Club. side 1: Rambling Wreck From Georgia Tech (track 1) Hail to Georgia (track 2) Cavalier Song/Virginia, Hail, All Hail (track 3); side 2: Carolina's Day (track 1) Hark! The Sound of Tarheel Voice/Here Comes Carolina (track 2) (Victor 26684), from the album, College Songs, Vol. 3 - Southern (Victor P 34).
78 rpm.
Location
Currently not on view
recording date
1940
manufacturer
Victor
ID Number
1988.0384.25
accession number
1988.0384
maker number
26684
catalog number
1988.0384.25
The Nintendo Game Boy was released in 1989.
Description
The Nintendo Game Boy was released in 1989. It was a handheld video game console that combined aspects of Nintendo's successful Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) television video game console with their earlier handheld electronic games marketed under the name "Game & Watch." It contained an 8-bit Z80 processor with a monochrome LCD display and 4-channel stereo sound. Shortly after the introduction of the Game Boy, Sega and Atari released handheld games, the Sega Game Gear and the Atari Lynx. Both had superior color LCD displays but both also suffered from short battery life and limited game availability. Nintendo shipped over 100 million units of the Game Boy and its successor, the Game Boy Color around the world.
All original Game Boys were bundled with Tetris, an addictive game developed in 1985 by Russian mathematician Alexey Pazhitnov, assisted by Dmitry Pavlovsky and Vadim Gerasimov. As with the NES, game software was stored on removable cartridges, allowing users to switch games at whim. Nintendo also marketed a number of accessories with this version of the Game Boy, including a camera and printer attachment.
Date made
1989
user
Huynh, Richard
patent holder
Nintendo Co., Ltd.
maker
Nintendo Co., Ltd.
ID Number
2003.0344.01
accession number
2003.0344
catalog number
2003.0344.01
This jumbo-size wooden yo-yo was made by Royal Manufacturing Company in the 1950s. It is blue with a gold stripe, and features a red and yellow crown graphic meant to look like the Crown of England. A blue and white decal reads “Royal Tops Mfg. Co. L.I City. N.Y.
Description (Brief)
This jumbo-size wooden yo-yo was made by Royal Manufacturing Company in the 1950s. It is blue with a gold stripe, and features a red and yellow crown graphic meant to look like the Crown of England. A blue and white decal reads “Royal Tops Mfg. Co. L.I City. N.Y. King Size Yo-Yo.” Royal was a major mid-century maker begun by Filipino immigrant Joe Radovan.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1950s
maker
Royal Tops Manufacturing Co.
ID Number
2002.0246.24
accession number
2002.0246
catalog number
2002.0246.24
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1923
date used
1936 to 1960s
maker
Beetleware Corporation
ID Number
1984.0331.11
accession number
1984.0331
catalog number
1984.0331.11
patent number
1458543
All-American Glee Club. College Songs, Vol. 4 - Pacific Coast (Victor P 36). 3-disc set. (album for 1988.0384.27 - .29).78 rpm.Currently not on view
Description
All-American Glee Club. College Songs, Vol. 4 - Pacific Coast (Victor P 36). 3-disc set. (album for 1988.0384.27 - .29).
78 rpm.
Location
Currently not on view
recording date
1940
manufacturer
Victor
ID Number
1988.0384.26
accession number
1988.0384
maker number
P 36
catalog number
1988.0384.26
This pressbook is for the 1958 Warner Bros. musical film Damn Yankees, directed by George Abbott and Stanley Donen and starred Gwen Verdon, Tab Hunter, and Ray Walston.
Description
This pressbook is for the 1958 Warner Bros. musical film Damn Yankees, directed by George Abbott and Stanley Donen and starred Gwen Verdon, Tab Hunter, and Ray Walston. This pressbook was distributed to movie theater owners for the purchase of posters and other material as marketing tools for promotion of this movie.
Location
Currently not on view
publishing date
1958
performing artist; depicted
Verdon, Gwen
publisher
Warner Brothers
ID Number
1986.0370.10
accession number
1986.0370
catalog number
1986.0370.10
Beginning in 1935, the Simplex Manufacturing Corporation of New Orleans made motorbikes, which were smaller and lighter than motorcycles. Their simple designs made personal transportation accessible to young people and adults.
Description
Beginning in 1935, the Simplex Manufacturing Corporation of New Orleans made motorbikes, which were smaller and lighter than motorcycles. Their simple designs made personal transportation accessible to young people and adults. Owners found many uses for Servi-Cycles, including errands, pleasure rides, and package delivery using a three-wheeled model. Top speed was 40 miles per hour, and average cruising speed was 30 miles per hour. Postwar sales were strong, but Servi-Cycle sales declined in the 1950s because of the growing popularity of imported motor scooters. Simplex ended motorbike production in 1960 but made motor scooters until 1972, when the company went out of business.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1935
maker
Simplex Manufacturing Company
ID Number
TR.317365
accession number
230387
catalog number
317365
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1923
date used
1936 to 1960s
maker
Beetleware Corporation
ID Number
1984.0331.04
accession number
1984.0331
catalog number
1984.0331.04
This plastic yo-yo was made by All Western Plastics in Nebraska during the 1950s. It has clear rounded sides and a yellow body, with a photo of movie cowboy Roy Rogers and his horse Trigger on one side.
Description (Brief)
This plastic yo-yo was made by All Western Plastics in Nebraska during the 1950s. It has clear rounded sides and a yellow body, with a photo of movie cowboy Roy Rogers and his horse Trigger on one side. The other side features a printed advertisement for a "King and Queen" top spinner contest. The retail package reads: “It’s smooth and fast, it’s inside walls are slick as glass, no rough wood to catch the string, does all the tricks...its Roundup King.”
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1950s
depicted
Rogers, Roy
maker
All Western Plastics
ID Number
2002.0246.42
accession number
2002.0246
catalog number
2002.0246.42
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1923
date used
1936 to 1960s
maker
Beetleware Corporation
ID Number
1984.0331.06
accession number
1984.0331
catalog number
1984.0331.06
United States Navy Band. side 1: Anchors Aweigh; side 2: All Hands (Victor 21296).78 rpm. This record is not part of the original Victor P 32 set. The correct record is Victor 26672.Currently not on view
Description
United States Navy Band. side 1: Anchors Aweigh; side 2: All Hands (Victor 21296).
78 rpm. This record is not part of the original Victor P 32 set. The correct record is Victor 26672.
Location
Currently not on view
recording date
1928
release date
1940
recording artist
United States Navy Band
manufacturer
Victor
ID Number
1988.0384.19
accession number
1988.0384
maker number
21296
catalog number
1988.0384.19
maker number
P 32
Three Bakelite billiard balls, in their original wooden box, made by the Hyatt-Burroughs Billiard Ball Co. of Newark, N.J. The label on the box states that "Bakelite Billiard balls are of the same resilience as the best ivory balls.
Description
Three Bakelite billiard balls, in their original wooden box, made by the Hyatt-Burroughs Billiard Ball Co. of Newark, N.J. The label on the box states that "Bakelite Billiard balls are of the same resilience as the best ivory balls. 2-3/8 inch balls weigh exactly seven ounces, are of exact diameter, are perfectly and permanently round and balanced, unaffected by climactic conditions, and are practically indestructible."
Location
Currently not on view
date made
after 1907
after 1910
invented hyatt billiard ball
Hyatt, John Wesley
patentee of bakelite
Baekeland, L. H.
maker
Hyatt-Burroughs Billiard Ball Company
ID Number
1981.0976.01
catalog number
1981.0976.01
accession number
1981.0976
Wooden dog sled made by the North Star Sled Company and used by Libby Riddles when she became the first woman musher to win the Iditarod Sled Dog Race in 1985. Libby Riddles was born in the “lower 48” but moved to Alaska when she was 16.
Description (Brief)
Wooden dog sled made by the North Star Sled Company and used by Libby Riddles when she became the first woman musher to win the Iditarod Sled Dog Race in 1985. Libby Riddles was born in the “lower 48” but moved to Alaska when she was 16. Her love of the outdoors and dogs led her to raise and train sled dogs and eventually fueled her passion for sled dog racing. Her first Iditarod run was in 1980 but the male dominated sport left her an outsider, without sponsors. Dog sled racing competitors rely heavily on their sponsor’s money to fund their training and to maintain their sled dog team and with none to provide that stability Riddles was left to her own devices. In 1985 she entered the Iditarod once more and though she had a rough start, 15 days into the race, she was able to pick up a lead as she rode through a blizzard in -50 degree temperatures. Riddles was the first to cross the finish line after 18 days, 20 minutes and 17 seconds. Her win produced a new generation of female mushers and as of 2015, one third of the race competitors were women.
The Iditarod Sled Dog Race is an extreme sports challenge that tests the skill and endurance of competitors while celebrating Alaska’s sled dog culture and history. Teams of 12 to 16 dogs, primarily Alaskan Huskies, and their musher experience harsh terrain and weather conditions during the 1,150 mile run from Anchorage to Nome. In its modern iteration as an extreme sport, the Iditarod takes an intense physical toll not only on the human competitors but also on the sled dogs. The race follows a large network of Native trade and travel routes which travelers used when gold was discovered in the isolated town of Iditarod. This discovery led to a “rush” of miners and settlers from across the country, transforming the trail into the region’s main mail and supply route. The area’s harsh winter conditions made sled dog teams the main source of transportation along the Iditarod Trail and it is this rich history which the Iditarod race celebrates today. In 1978 Congress designated the 2300 mile Iditarod Trail as a National Historic Trail recognizing its importance in the shaping of America. Through its beginnings as a regional story, the Iditarod provides us the opportunity to explore the American Experience through the origins of the Iditarod National Historic Trail and the transformation of the Alaskan sled dog culture into an international sport. The Iditarod is now the largest and most prominent sled dog race in the world, attracting international competitors and world-wide media attention.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1985
used
Riddles, Libby
maker
North Star Dog Sled Company
ID Number
2008.0143.01
accession number
2008.0143
catalog number
2008.0143.01
All-American Glee Club. side 1: Roll On, Tulane (track 1) Fight for L.S.U./Alma Mater (track 2); side 2: Blue and White/Dear Old Duke (track 1) Washington and Lee Swing/College Friendships (track 2) (Victor 26683), from the album, College Songs, Vol.
Description
All-American Glee Club. side 1: Roll On, Tulane (track 1) Fight for L.S.U./Alma Mater (track 2); side 2: Blue and White/Dear Old Duke (track 1) Washington and Lee Swing/College Friendships (track 2) (Victor 26683), from the album, College Songs, Vol. 3 - Southern (Victor P 34).
78 rpm.
Location
Currently not on view
recording date
1940
manufacturer
Victor
ID Number
1988.0384.24
accession number
1988.0384
maker number
26683
catalog number
1988.0384.24
This steel yo-yo was made by the Oriental Trading Company in the 1990s. This yo-yo has flat sides and a red, white, and blue American flag design on both halves.
Description (Brief)
This steel yo-yo was made by the Oriental Trading Company in the 1990s. This yo-yo has flat sides and a red, white, and blue American flag design on both halves. The Oriental Trading Company, begun as a gift shop in Omaha, is a large wholesale company that sells arts and crafts, toys and novelties.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1990s
maker
Oriental Trading Company
ID Number
2002.0246.08
accession number
2002.0246
catalog number
2002.0246.08
This steel yo-yo was made by the Cayo Manufacturing Company of Benton Harbor Michigan in the early 1930s. There is a "Captain's Wheel" lithograph pattern design printed on one side in gray, white and black. Julius N.
Description (Brief)
This steel yo-yo was made by the Cayo Manufacturing Company of Benton Harbor Michigan in the early 1930s. There is a "Captain's Wheel" lithograph pattern design printed on one side in gray, white and black. Julius N. Cayo founded the Cayo Manufacturing Company as a metal stamping business and began making yo-yos in the early 1930s. It was called a Musical Ka-Yo, so not to infringe upon the Duncan Toy Company's trademark of the term "yo-yo." It whistled when spun due to holes in its sides.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Cayo Manufacturing Company
ID Number
2002.0246.01
accession number
2002.0246
catalog number
2002.0246.01
This wooden "Smothers Brothers" yo-yo was made by the Hummingbird Toy Company in 1988. The yo-yo is unopened upon its original yellow, red and black display card that also holds an owner’s manual.
Description (Brief)
This wooden "Smothers Brothers" yo-yo was made by the Hummingbird Toy Company in 1988. The yo-yo is unopened upon its original yellow, red and black display card that also holds an owner’s manual. Silhouette images of the brothers holding musical instruments are printed on the card. The yo-yo has flat sides and a stamped drawing of Dick Smothers (1939- ). The Smothers Brothers were a duo comedy variety act who parlayed their song “Yo-yo Man” into a successful instructional video and yo-yo line.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1988
depicted
Smothers Brothers
maker
Hummingbird Toy Company, Ltd.
ID Number
2002.0246.52
accession number
2002.0246
catalog number
2002.0246.52
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1923
date used
1936 to 1960s
maker
Beetleware Corporation
ID Number
1984.0331.09
accession number
1984.0331
catalog number
1984.0331.09
Jan Garber and his Orchestra. side 1: Lights Out [track 1] Strike Up the Band [track 2]; side 2: Fordham "Ram" [track 1] Hail to Pitt [track 2] (Capitol 10144), from the album, College Medleys (Capitol CD-95).78 rpm.Currently not on view
Description
Jan Garber and his Orchestra. side 1: Lights Out [track 1] Strike Up the Band [track 2]; side 2: Fordham "Ram" [track 1] Hail to Pitt [track 2] (Capitol 10144), from the album, College Medleys (Capitol CD-95).
78 rpm.
Location
Currently not on view
release date
1948
recording artist
Jan Garber and His Orchestra
manufacturer
Capitol
ID Number
1981.0656.520
catalog number
1981.0656.520
maker number
10144
CD-95
accession number
1981.0656
Jan Garber and his Orchestra. side 1: Maryland, Maryland [track 1] Hark the Sounds of Tar Heel Voices [track 2]; side 2: Rambling Wreck from Georgia Tech [track 1 Fight Alabama [track 2] (Capitol 10141), from the album, College Medleys (Capitol CD-95).78 rpm.Currently not on view
Description
Jan Garber and his Orchestra. side 1: Maryland, Maryland [track 1] Hark the Sounds of Tar Heel Voices [track 2]; side 2: Rambling Wreck from Georgia Tech [track 1 Fight Alabama [track 2] (Capitol 10141), from the album, College Medleys (Capitol CD-95).
78 rpm.
Location
Currently not on view
release date
1948
recording artist
Jan Garber and His Orchestra
manufacturer
Capitol
ID Number
1981.0656.517
maker number
10141
CD-95
accession number
1981.0656
catalog number
1981.0656.517
This plastic yo-yo was manufactured by the Jack Russell Company during the 1960s.
Description (Brief)
This plastic yo-yo was manufactured by the Jack Russell Company during the 1960s. It has white sides which read, “Genuine Russell Yo-Yo, Made in Australia, Pause for Coke, Trademark Registered, Be Really Refreshed, Championship.” Jack Russell began his career as a Duncan yo-yo professional before creating a foreign promotions company for the Duncan Toys Company in the early 1950s. In 1958 Russell formed his own promotional firm which primarily worked with the Coca-Cola Company. This is an example of an Australian Coca-Cola promotion.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1960s-1980s
maker
Russell
ID Number
2002.0246.26
accession number
2002.0246
catalog number
2002.0246.26
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1923
date used
1936 to 1960s
maker
Beetleware Corporation
ID Number
1984.0331.10
accession number
1984.0331
catalog number
1984.0331.10
Soon after the United States entered World War II, the federal government decided that bicycles should be brought under consumer manufacturing guidelines so that they might support conservation efforts, local transportation, and the war production work force.
Description
Soon after the United States entered World War II, the federal government decided that bicycles should be brought under consumer manufacturing guidelines so that they might support conservation efforts, local transportation, and the war production work force. A series of orders reduced bicycle design to bare essentials, limited metal and rubber content, set output quotas, promoted the use of bicycles among adult civilians, allocated bicycles for military use, and suspended production of children's bicycles, which comprised 85 percent of the prewar market. These measures were designed to conserve rubber and metals needed for war materiel and complement gasoline and automobile tire rationing by providing an alternate form of transportation for war production workers and other workers.
In December 1941, the Office of Production Management and leading manufacturers developed specifications for a simplified bicycle dubbed the "Victory bicycle" by government and media. OPM reviewed several prototypes submitted for examination. Regulations finalized in March 1942 specified that bicycles would be lightweight - not more than 31 pounds, about two-thirds the weight of prewar bicycles - and they would be made of steel only, with no copper or nickel parts. Chrome plating was limited to a few small pieces of hardware. Handlebars and wheel rims would be painted instead of chrome plated, and most accessories (chain guard, basket, luggage rack, bell, whitewall tires) were eliminated. Tire size was limited to a width of 1.375 inches, narrower than balloon tires on prewar children's bikes. Production was set at 750,000 Victory bicycles per year by twelve manufacturers, approximately 40 percent of total prewar production but a significant increase in annual production of adult bicycles. The manufacture of all other types of civilian bicycles was halted.
As a prelude to rationing, the federal government imposed a freeze on bicycle sales and allocated almost 10,000 bikes to war production plants for use by workers and messengers. By July 1942 the Office of Price Administration estimated that 150,000 Victory bicycles and 90,000 prewar bikes were available for retail sale. OPA rationed new and prewar men's and women's bicycles. Any adult who was gainfully employed or contributed in some way to the war effort or public welfare could purchase a bicycle if she or he could cite a compelling reason, such as inadequate public transportation, excessive walking, or responsibility for a delivery service. In August 1942 eligibility was further restricted to persons in critical occupations, including physicians, nurses, druggists, ministers, school teachers, mail carriers, firefighters, police officers, construction workers, delivery personnel, public safety officers, and others. By the summer of 1942, American Bicyclist and Motorcyclist reported that thousands of war production workers were riding bicycles to their jobs, and new and used bikes were in great demand. Some companies owned fleets of bicycles for work-related uses such as reading electric meters.
Pauline Anderson of Norwalk, Connecticut was hired as a mathematics teacher at Norwalk High School in the fall of 1942 and purchased a Victory bicycle shortly thereafter. She lived with her parents, George and Flora Anderson, in a residential neighborhood two miles from downtown Norwalk. Pauline married Walter Dudding on November 26, 1942 but continued to live with her parents while her husband was serving in the Coast Guard. Mrs. Dudding rode the bicycle on errands and pleasure trips in the Norwalk area. It was a good form of supplemental transportation, but she didn't commute to work on the bike; she rode a bus or shared a ride with her father, who owned an automotive sales and repair shop in downtown Norwalk. The high school also was located downtown.
Pauline Dudding's bicycle has all the features of a 1942 Victory bicycle. The handlebars have black paint instead of chrome plating, and the wheel rims are painted a tan color. The frame is painted red, white and blue. In keeping with a War Production Board order, there is no nameplate or other brand identification other than the letter "H" (for Huffman) stamped on the bottom of the crankcase beside the serial number. In September 1942 the number of authorized Victory bicycle manufacturers was reduced from twelve to two, and the WPB decided that "no firm left in a business from which others are excluded shall be permitted to spread its name over the land and in foreign countries" (Wall Street Journal, September 3, 1942).
date made
1942
maker
Huffman Manufacturing Company
ID Number
2006.0183.01
accession number
2006.0183
catalog number
2006.0183.01

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