Sports & Leisure

Tennis Racket

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.

Date: 1960s

Helmet worn by Andy Granatelli while trying to set a land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats, 1960-1961

Helmet worn by Andy Granatelli while trying to set a land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1960-1961.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Helmet worn by Andy Granatelli while trying to set a land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1960-1961.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960
ID Number
2017.0092.03
accession number
2017.0092
catalog number
2017.0092.03

Letter given to Mary Hammersbacher from John Sandy Eiler, Camp Shriver director

Letter dated May 1964, given to Mary Hammerbacher (Manner) from John Sandy Eiler, director of Camp Shriver, requesting information from her so as to pair the counselors with a specific camper. The letter is typewritten on Joseph P.
Description (Brief)
Letter dated May 1964, given to Mary Hammerbacher (Manner) from John Sandy Eiler, director of Camp Shriver, requesting information from her so as to pair the counselors with a specific camper. The letter is typewritten on Joseph P. Kennedy letterhead and is signed by John Sandy Eiler, director of Camp Shriver. The original envelope is included with the letter. As the camp prospered, organization was needed to ensure the camp's success so a director was appointed to run the day to day activities.
Camp Shriver began in Eunice Shriver’s backyard at her Timberlawn estate in 1962. Shriver, the sister of President John F. Kennedy and Rose, an intellectually disabled sister, decided to hold a day camp for intellectually disabled kids from DC and Maryland. The high school age counselors were taught how to teach the campers different skills through play and introduced them to horseback riding, swimming, canoeing and group games, many of the campers experiencing these activities for the first time. Camp Shriver continued each summer until 1968 when the first Special Olympics Games were held in Chicago which has grown into the largest organization for intellectually disabled athletes in the world. Mary Hammerbacher (Manner) applied to be a volunteer at the camp through her parochial high school and worked there from 1962-1967.
From its beginnings as Camp Shriver in Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s backyard, to the first international games in 1968, Special Olympics has been about giving people with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to participate in sport. This participation builds confidence, provides emotional support and offers social opportunities for the athletes and their families. With state chapters and a global presence through its World Games, “Special Olympics is the largest sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities with 5 million athletes in 170 countries worldwide.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1964
user
Manner, Mary H.
ID Number
2017.0239.03
accession number
2017.0239
catalog number
2017.0239.03

Invitation from the movie, "The Endless Summer" released in 1966

Invitation for the movie The Endless Summer invites the holder to a screening of the movie on Tuesday June 14th at 8:45 pm at Kips Bay Theatre.
Description
Invitation for the movie The Endless Summer invites the holder to a screening of the movie on Tuesday June 14th at 8:45 pm at Kips Bay Theatre. After being turned down by Hollywood to distribute his film, Bruce Brown rented the Kips Bay Theatre in New York to prove his film had an audience. He had wanted to rent the theatre for a couple of weeks but ended up renting it for a year after The Endless Summer sold out most weekends. The Endless Summer movie was written, produced and directed by Bruce Brown. Brown also served as the narrator of this surf ‘diary’ following two young surfers for one summer, around the globe, in search of the “perfect wave.” It was in limited release in 1964 and released worldwide in 1966 grossing $5 million domestically and over $20 million worldwide. Its simplicity was part of its enduring appeal and while naïve and corny to today’s audiences it was an integral part of surf history. The Endless Summer introduced the world to surfing, a nation of bored teens to the idea of travel and created a popularity of surf culture that endures today.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1966
ID Number
2015.3122.04
nonaccession number
2015.3122
catalog number
2015.3122.04

Joe Garagiola

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1969-06
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.209
catalog number
2014.0112.209
accession number
2014.0112

Ticket from the movie, "The Endless Summer" released in 1966

This is a $1.50 ticket for the movie The Endless Summer. The movie was written, produced and directed by Bruce Brown.
Description
This is a $1.50 ticket for the movie The Endless Summer. The movie was written, produced and directed by Bruce Brown. Brown also served as the narrator of this surf ‘diary’ following two young surfers for one summer, around the globe, in search of the “perfect wave.” It was in limited release in 1964 and released worldwide in 1966 grossing $5 million domestically and over $20 million worldwide. Its simplicity was part of its enduring appeal and while naïve and corny to today’s audiences it was an integral part of surf history. The Endless Summer introduced the world to surfing, a nation of bored teens to the idea of travel and created a popularity of surf culture that endures today.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1966
ID Number
2015.3122.05.3
nonaccession number
2015.3122
catalog number
2015.3122.05.3

Program for the Kennedy Foundation dinner, 1962

Program for the Kennedy Foundation dinner of 1964 given to Ann Hammerbacher (Buell) while attending the dinner. The cover has an embossed image of St. Raphael, the patron saint of mental illness and is associated with the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation. The Joseph P.
Description (Brief)
Program for the Kennedy Foundation dinner of 1964 given to Ann Hammerbacher (Buell) while attending the dinner. The cover has an embossed image of St. Raphael, the patron saint of mental illness and is associated with the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation. The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation is a non profit organization founded in 1946 by Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. in memory of his son Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. The mission of the Kennedy Foundation is "to provide leadership in the field of mental retardation and service to persons with mental retardation, both those born and unborn, and their families."
Camp Shriver began in Eunice Shriver’s backyard at her Timberlawn estate in 1962. Shriver, the sister of President John F. Kennedy and Rose, an intellectually disabled sister, decided to hold a day camp for intellectually disabled kids from DC and Maryland. The high school age counselors were taught how to teach the campers different skills through play and introduced them to horseback riding, swimming, canoeing and group games, many of the campers experiencing these activities for the first time. Camp Shriver continued each summer until 1968 when the first Special Olympics Games were held in Chicago which has grown into the largest organization for intellectually disabled athletes in the world. Ann Hammerbacher (Buell) applied to be a volunteer at the camp through her parochial high school and worked there from 1962-1967.
From its beginnings as Camp Shriver in Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s backyard, to the first international games in 1968, Special Olympics has been about giving people with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to participate in sport. This participation builds confidence, provides emotional support and offers social opportunities for the athletes and their families. With state chapters and a global presence through its World Games, “Special Olympics is the largest sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities with 5 million athletes in 170 countries worldwide.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1962
user
Buell, Ann
ID Number
2017.0242.05
accession number
2017.0242
catalog number
2017.0242.05

Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1967-12-12
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.020
catalog number
2014.0112.020
accession number
2014.0112

Ticket from the movie, "The Endless Summer" released in 1966

This is a $1.50 ticket for the movie The Endless Summer. The movie was written, produced and directed by Bruce Brown.
Description
This is a $1.50 ticket for the movie The Endless Summer. The movie was written, produced and directed by Bruce Brown. Brown also served as the narrator of this surf ‘diary’ following two young surfers for one summer, around the globe, in search of the “perfect wave.” It was in limited release in 1964 and released worldwide in 1966 grossing $5 million domestically and over $20 million worldwide. Its simplicity was part of its enduring appeal and while naïve and corny to today’s audiences it was an integral part of surf history. The Endless Summer introduced the world to surfing, a nation of bored teens to the idea of travel and created a popularity of surf culture that endures today.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1966
ID Number
2015.3122.05.1
nonaccession number
2015.3122
catalog number
2015.3122.05.1

Basketball at Princeton

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1967-01-12
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.050
catalog number
2014.0112.050
accession number
2014.0112

Original poster from "The Endless Summer" created by John van Hamersveld

Original, silk screened, 60 x 40 inch, Day-Glo poster for “The Endless Summer” movie designed by John van Hamersveld. Van Hamersveld was the Art Director for Surfer Magazine and a friend of R. Paul Allen at the time.
Description
Original, silk screened, 60 x 40 inch, Day-Glo poster for “The Endless Summer” movie designed by John van Hamersveld. Van Hamersveld was the Art Director for Surfer Magazine and a friend of R. Paul Allen at the time. He was only paid $150.00 for the iconic design of both actors and the director, silhouetted on the beach, against the setting sun. Allen, the assistant cinematographer on the movie, hired silk screener, Eric Askew to produce the poster in a garage in Costa Mesa, California.
In 1962 John Van Hamersveld was working as the Art Director for Surfing Illustrated Magazine before moving to Surfer where he was working when he created this Day-Glo poster. The poster’s premise was Browns but Van Hamersveld took Bob Bagley’s image of the movie’s stars Mike Hynson and Robert August and Brown and transformed it into a 1960s neon masterpiece. The lettering was handwritten by Van Hamersveld. According to the Encyclopedia of Surfing, a critic wrote of Van Hamersveld's iconic poster, "The colors the image was rendered in, the pinks and oranges and yellows out of a Crayola box, out of a Life Savers roll, out of an acid trip, anticipated Timothy Leary’s 'Turn on, tune in, drop out' by a good three years."
"The Endless Summer" movie was written, produced and directed by Bruce Brown in 1964. Brown also served as the narrator of this surf ‘diary’ following two young surfers for one summer, around the globe, in search of the “perfect wave.” It was in limited release in 1964 and released worldwide in 1966 grossing $5 million domestically and over $20 million worldwide. Its simplicity was part of its enduring appeal and while naïve and corny to today’s audiences it was an integral part of surf history. “The Endless Summer” introduced the world to surfing, a nation of bored teens to the idea of travel and created a popularity of surf culture that endures today.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1964
ID Number
2015.0227.02
accession number
2015.0227
catalog number
2015.0227.02

Surfing, December 1969

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1969
ID Number
2017.3021.116
nonaccession number
2017.3021
catalog number
2017.3021.116

Autolite Racing Award for the Fastest Car of 1961 awarded by NASCAR to Granatelli Racing

Autolite Racing Award for the Fastest Car of 1961 awarded by NASCAR to Granatelli Racing.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Autolite Racing Award for the Fastest Car of 1961 awarded by NASCAR to Granatelli Racing.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1961
ID Number
2017.0092.10
accession number
2017.0092
catalog number
2017.0092.10

How To Bring New Hope to the Mentally Retarded

How To Bring New Hope to the Mentally Retarded is one of the pamphlets given to the camp counselors at Camp Shriver in 1965 and one of many developed in the 1960s as a heightened public awareness of the mentally disabled was occurring.From its beginnings as Camp Shriver in Eunice
Description (Brief)
How To Bring New Hope to the Mentally Retarded is one of the pamphlets given to the camp counselors at Camp Shriver in 1965 and one of many developed in the 1960s as a heightened public awareness of the mentally disabled was occurring.
From its beginnings as Camp Shriver in Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s backyard, to the first international games in 1968, Special Olympics has been about giving people with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to participate in sport. This participation builds confidence, provides emotional support and offers social opportunities for the athletes and their families. With state chapters and a global presence through its World Games, “Special Olympics is the largest sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities with 5 million athletes in 170 countries worldwide.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1965
ID Number
2017.0331.01
accession number
2017.0331
catalog number
2017.0331.01

Photograph of Bruce Brown, director of the movie, "The Endless Summer" released in 1966

This black and white photograph is of Bruce Brown shooting a scene from The Endless Summer from the water. Bruce Brown is a California native who began surfing when he was 9.
Description
This black and white photograph is of Bruce Brown shooting a scene from The Endless Summer from the water. Bruce Brown is a California native who began surfing when he was 9. He produced his first film in 1955 while stationed aboard a Navy submarine in Hawaii but it wasn’t for another two years that he really got his start. Dale Velzy, a surfboard shaper and entrepreneur gave Brown a new 16 mm movie camera, paid his way to Hawaii and made Slippery When Wet. This first film had the smooth music and casual and relaxed narration which Brown’s films are known. Two more movies followed in the same vain as the first but in 1961 Brown’s movie, focused on surfer Phil Edwards. Surfing Hollow Days featured the first filmed ride at Pipeline, a famous surfing sport on the North Shore of Hawaii. He put together a compilation film, Waterlogged, for release in 1963 since he was traveling the globe with two actors filming what would become the most iconic surf movie of all time. The Endless Summer movie was written, produced and directed by Bruce Brown. Brown also served as the narrator of this surf ‘diary’ following two young surfers for one summer, around the globe, in search of the “perfect wave.” It was in limited release in 1964 and released worldwide in 1966 grossing $5 million domestically and over $20 million worldwide. Its simplicity was part of it enduring appeal and while naïve and corny to today’s audiences it was an integral part of surf history. It introduced the world to surfing, a nation of bored teens to the idea of travel and created a popularity of surf culture that endures today.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960s
ID Number
2015.3122.08
nonaccession number
2015.3122
catalog number
2015.3122.08

President John F. Kennedy in stands

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1962-04-09
depicted (sitter)
Kennedy, John F.
maker
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2017.0104.0002
accession number
2017.0104
catalog number
2017.0104.0002

Address by Eunice K. Shriver at the Annual Convention of the American Association of Health, Physical Education snd Recreation

Address by Eunice K.
Description (Brief)
Address by Eunice K. Shriver at the Annual Convention of the American Association of Health, Physical Education and Recreation given to Mary Hammerbacher (Manner) as a counselor at Camp Shriver, 1962.
Camp Shriver began in Eunice Shriver’s backyard at her Timberlawn estate in 1962. Shriver, the sister of President John F. Kennedy and Rose, an intellectually disabled sister, decided to hold a day camp for intellectually disabled kids from DC and Maryland. The high school age counselors were taught how to teach the campers different skills through play and introduced them to horseback riding, swimming, canoeing and group games, many of the campers experiencing these activities for the first time. Camp Shriver continued each summer until 1968 when the first Special Olympics Games were held in Chicago which has grown into the largest organization for intellectually disabled athletes in the world. Mary Hammerbacher (Manner) applied to be a volunteer at the camp through her parochial high school and worked there from 1962-1967.
From its beginnings as Camp Shriver in Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s backyard, to the first international games in 1968, Special Olympics has been about giving people with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to participate in sport. This participation builds confidence, provides emotional support and offers social opportunities for the athletes and their families. With state chapters and a global presence through its World Games, “Special Olympics is the largest sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities with 5 million athletes in 170 countries worldwide.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1965
user
Manner, Mary H.
ID Number
2017.0239.09
accession number
2017.0239
catalog number
2017.0239.09

Letter given to Mary Hammersbacher from Eunice Kennedy Shriver

Letter given to Mary Hammerbacher (Manner) from Eunice Kennedy Shriver thanking Mary for being a camp counselor at Camp Shriver during the camp's first year in 1962. The letter is typewritten on Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation letterhead and is signed by Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
Description (Brief)
Letter given to Mary Hammerbacher (Manner) from Eunice Kennedy Shriver thanking Mary for being a camp counselor at Camp Shriver during the camp's first year in 1962. The letter is typewritten on Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation letterhead and is signed by Eunice Kennedy Shriver. The original envelope is included with the letter.
Camp Shriver began in Eunice Shriver’s backyard at her Timberlawn estate in 1962. Shriver, the sister of President John F. Kennedy and Rose, an intellectually disabled sister, decided to hold a day camp for intellectually disabled kids from DC and Maryland. The high school age counselors were taught how to teach the campers different skills through play and introduced them to horseback riding, swimming, canoeing and group games, many of the campers experiencing these activities for the first time. Camp Shriver continued each summer until 1968 when the first Special Olympics Games were held in Chicago which has grown into the largest organization for intellectually disabled athletes in the world. Mary Hammerbacher (Manner) applied to be a volunteer at the camp through her parochial high school and worked there from 1962-1967.
From its beginnings as Camp Shriver in Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s backyard, to the first international games in 1968, Special Olympics has been about giving people with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to participate in sport. This participation builds confidence, provides emotional support and offers social opportunities for the athletes and their families. With state chapters and a global presence through its World Games, “Special Olympics is the largest sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities with 5 million athletes in 170 countries worldwide.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1962
user
Manner, Mary H.
ID Number
2017.0239.02
accession number
2017.0239
catalog number
2017.0239.02

Outsoles made from the Vans, Inc. manufacturing mold

A pair of outsoles made from the Vans, Inc. manufacturing mold are a dark tan, made of rubber and are shaped like the sole of a shoe. This is the product of the Vans, Inc. waffle pattern mold.
Description (Brief)
A pair of outsoles made from the Vans, Inc. manufacturing mold are a dark tan, made of rubber and are shaped like the sole of a shoe. This is the product of the Vans, Inc. waffle pattern mold. These are marked, "68M-wide [/] MS9C FS [/] WS 10.5 C." Paul and Jim Van Doren, along with partners Gordon Lee and Serge Delia opened the Van Doren Rubber Company in 1966, manufacturing shoes and selling them directly to the public. Vans uses a vulcanized shoe making process where the rubber outsoles are heated and stretched onto the “lasted upper” of the shoe before the rubber is completely cured. The entire shoe is then heated to over 300 degrees. This process creates a ‘sticky’ sole popular with skaters for ensuring a good contact surface with their board. Using pro skaters to design their shoes, producing pro skater models and creating the trademark “sidestripe” recognizable around the world, Vans became the shoe of choice for a generation of skaters and grew into an international enterprise in just 50 years.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1968
ID Number
2016.0351.03
accession number
2016.0351
catalog number
2016.0351.03

Joe Garagiola

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1969-06
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.205
catalog number
2014.0112.205
accession number
2014.0112

President John F. Kennedy in stands

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1962-04-09
depicted (sitter)
Kennedy, John F.
maker
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2017.0104.0005
accession number
2017.0104
catalog number
2017.0104.0005

Vans skateboarding shoe

Vans skateboarding shoe is blue and white checked with a dark blue suede toe and eyestay. The trademark sidestripe is white leather along with the shoe midsoles, the sole is the trademark deep tan, waffle pattern.
Description (Brief)
Vans skateboarding shoe is blue and white checked with a dark blue suede toe and eyestay. The trademark sidestripe is white leather along with the shoe midsoles, the sole is the trademark deep tan, waffle pattern. Paul and Jim Van Doren, along with partners Gordon Lee and Serge Delia opened the Van Doren Rubber Company in 1966, manufacturing shoes and selling them directly to the public. Vans uses a vulcanized shoe making process where the rubber outsoles are heated and stretched onto the “lasted upper” of the shoe before the rubber is completely cured. The entire shoe is then heated to over 300 degrees. This process creates a ‘sticky’ sole popular with skaters for ensuring a good contact surface with their board. Using pro skaters to design their shoes, producing pro skater models and creating the trademark “sidestripe” recognizable around the world, Vans became the shoe of choice for a generation of skaters and grew into an international enterprise in just 50 years.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960s
1970s
ID Number
2016.0351.04
accession number
2016.0351
catalog number
2016.0351.04

Trophy for the 12th Annual Bonneville Speed Trials awarded to Granatelli Racing, 1960

Trophy for the 12th Annual Bonneville Speed Trials awarded to Granatelli Racing in 1960.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Trophy for the 12th Annual Bonneville Speed Trials awarded to Granatelli Racing in 1960.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960
ID Number
2017.0092.08
accession number
2017.0092
catalog number
2017.0092.08

Chris Thomforde at Princeton

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1967-01-12
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.049
catalog number
2014.0112.049
accession number
2014.0112

Joe Garagiola

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1969-06
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.204
catalog number
2014.0112.204
accession number
2014.0112

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