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: 1980s

Second issue of Transworld Skateboarding magazine

This is the second issue of Transworld Skateboarding Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 2, July/August 1983.
Description (Brief)
This is the second issue of Transworld Skateboarding Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 2, July/August 1983. Skateboarding Magazine or Transworld Skateboarding as it is known today has been a leader in the industry for over 30 years, created in response to Thrasher Magazine’s “skate and destroy” approach to skate culture. Larry Balma, founder of Tracker Trucks and co-creator of Transworld Skateboarding Magazine along with Peggy Cozen discussed these early beginnings in a 2003 Union-Tribune interview: "They were pretty harsh, sex and drugs and using four-letter words and all that and in the early '80s, the sport started growing and [Thrasher] wasn't the best magazine for young kids." This philosophy led to Cozen’s “skate and create” motto using professional photographers to document skating as both a sport and a lifestyle and using professional skaters to bring credibility to the mix. In 1997, Transworld was sold to Time Warner and a corporate mentality began to creep into the magazine’s pages which didn’t sit right with many of the original editors so they left and created their own publication, Skateboarder Mag. In March of 2013 Transworld became the largest selling skateboarding magazine in the world and was sold to GrindMedia in May of 2013. Former Skateboarder Magazine editor-in-chief, Jamie Owens joined the Transworld team and stated in an interview in an October 2013 Transworld that, "TWS‘ hallmark has always been amazing photography of the biggest names in skateboarding. Growing up with TransWorld meant I was always seeing the best skateboarding being done by the best skaters shot by the best photographers. That documentation of skateboarding is unsurpassed."
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1983
ID Number
2013.0185.04
accession number
2013.0185
catalog number
2013.0185.04

The Bones Brigade Video Show VHS tape

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1984
ID Number
2022.0065.01
accession number
2022.0065
catalog number
2022.0065.01

Schmitt Stix sticker

Rectangular shaped skateboarding sticker is light pink with black speckles throughout and 'Schmitt Stix The Ultimate Rails' printed in black in the center of the sticker.
Description (Brief)
Rectangular shaped skateboarding sticker is light pink with black speckles throughout and 'Schmitt Stix The Ultimate Rails' printed in black in the center of the sticker. Paul Schmitt of PS Stix, owns and operates one of the largest and most successful skateboard manufacturing companies in the United States and is known to many in the industry as 'Professor Schmitt". For almost 30 years Schmitt’s company has been considered an innovative leader in design and manufacturing of high quality skateboards
Skateboard stickers have always played an important role in skateboard advertising especially in the late 1980s and early 90s when small skate companies were emerging. Skate companies used this inexpensive and visually appealing media to advertise their companies, board models, skate contests, and skate teams. The stickers were often offered free through magazine offers and at skate shops where the most sought after were kept behind the counter.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1980s
user
Schmitt, Paul
ID Number
2013.0224.09.07
accession number
2013.0224
catalog number
2013.0224.09.7

Washington Generals vs. Harlem Globetrotters

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1986-02-20
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.148
catalog number
2014.0112.148
accession number
2014.0112

The John Curry Skating Company program, 1983

Color program from the 1983 John Curry Skating Company.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Color program from the 1983 John Curry Skating Company.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1983
ID Number
2017.3021.098
nonaccession number
2017.3021
catalog number
2017.3021.098

Peter and Ruth Gimbel

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1981
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.145
catalog number
2014.0112.145
accession number
2014.0112

Seattle Supersonics vs. New York Knicks

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1982
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.021
catalog number
2014.0112.021
accession number
2014.0112

Advertisement for Schmitt Stix skateboard rails

Advertisement for Schmitt Stix rails is white with black printing and has two black and white photographs of skateboarders and text discussing Schmitt Stix rails.
Description (Brief)
Advertisement for Schmitt Stix rails is white with black printing and has two black and white photographs of skateboarders and text discussing Schmitt Stix rails. Paul Schmitt of PS Stix, owns and operates one of the largest and most successful skateboard manufacturing companies in the United States and is known to many in the industry as 'Professor Schmitt". For almost 30 years Schmitt’s company has been considered an innovative leader in design and manufacturing of high quality skateboards.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1980s
advertiser
Schmitt, Paul
ID Number
2013.0224.10.1
accession number
2013.0224
catalog number
2013.0224.10.1

Washington Generals vs. Harlem Globetrotters

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1986-02-20
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.163
catalog number
2014.0112.163
accession number
2014.0112

Mark Lake's "Nightmare" deck

Mark Lake designed this iconic Nightmare board with notches on the front so when doing certain tricks the board wouldn't slip out of his sweaty hands.
Description (Brief)
Mark Lake designed this iconic Nightmare board with notches on the front so when doing certain tricks the board wouldn't slip out of his sweaty hands. He added notches in the tail to hook the front of your foot or heel to pull the board along when doing "slides." Lake began his pro skateboarding career at 19 with his first pro model deck by Flite Skateboards. In 1985 he began skating for Walker skateboards where he designed this unique 'Nightmare' board and in 1987 left to create his own company, Lake Skateboards. He has been competing throughout the country for the past 35 years.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1985
user
Lake, Mark
ID Number
2011.0092.04
accession number
2011.0092
catalog number
2011.0092.04

Walt Frazier and Walt Frazier Jr.

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1989-02-12
depicted (sitter)
Frazier, Walt
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.186
catalog number
2014.0112.186
accession number
2014.0112

Margo Oborg

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1981-11-25
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.071
catalog number
2014.0112.071
accession number
2014.0112

Autograph book used by Special Olympian Marty Sheets

Dark blue, hardcover book with white pages that are filled with celebrity and athlete autographs beginning in 1987 through 1995 and collected by Marty Sheets.
Description (Brief)
Dark blue, hardcover book with white pages that are filled with celebrity and athlete autographs beginning in 1987 through 1995 and collected by Marty Sheets. There are twelve white paper strips with autographs held together by a piece of black yarn placed in the back of the book.
Marty Sheets was born with Downs Syndrome in 1953 but through Camp Joy, a camp for kids with intellectual disabilities, he found a love of sports. Invited to participate in the first International Special Olympic Games in Chicago in 1968, Marty formed a life long bond with founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Over the course of the next 40 years Sheets won over 250 medals while competing in golf, swimming, Alpine skiing, tennis and power lifting. His favorite sport was golf and In 2006, he was the PGA’s national volunteer of the year for his work at the Wyndham Championship in his hometown of Greensboro, N.C. He is also included in the portrait of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and other Special Olympians which now resides in the National Portrait Gallery collections.
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
1987
ID Number
2017.3064.01
nonaccession number
2017.3064
catalog number
2017.3064.01

Special Olympics 20th Anniversary clipboard belonging to Eunice Shriver

Special Olympics 20th Anniversary clipboard belonging to Eunice Shriver is white with blue printing on the back and front.
Description (Brief)
Special Olympics 20th Anniversary clipboard belonging to Eunice Shriver is white with blue printing on the back and front. This was created for the annual conference of 1998 in Reno, Nevada.
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
1988
ID Number
2017.0331.20
accession number
2017.0331
catalog number
2017.0331.20

St. Louis Cardinals Jersey, worn by Ozzie Smith

Osborne Ozzie Smith (b. 1954) played shortstop in the Major Leagues for the San Diego Padres (1978-1981,) before joining the St.
Description
Osborne Ozzie Smith (b. 1954) played shortstop in the Major Leagues for the San Diego Padres (1978-1981,) before joining the St. Louis Cardinals (1982-1996.) Beloved player by fans who delighted in his exuberance, Smith was a rarity who attained stardom primarily due to his defensive abilities.
One of the best fielding shortstops in history, Smith's amazing glove work led him to be known as The Wizard of Oz. Setting Major League records for assists and double plays at his position, the reliable Smith earned 13 gold glove recognitions and made 15 National League All Star Teams.
With Smith anchoring the infield, the Cardinals reached the World Series three times, winning in 1982. After retirement Smith has remained active in baseball and had been a television host, author and entrepreneur. He was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1986
user
Smith, Ozzie
maker
Rawlings
ID Number
2017.0084.09
accession number
2017.0084
catalog number
2017.0084.09

Tony Hawk's Powell Peralta skateboard

This wood laminate skateboard displays Tony Hawk’s Birdhouse logo graphic designed by Vernon Cortlandt Johnson and was used by Tony Hawk in competitions during the mid-1980s.
Description (Brief)
This wood laminate skateboard displays Tony Hawk’s Birdhouse logo graphic designed by Vernon Cortlandt Johnson and was used by Tony Hawk in competitions during the mid-1980s. An archaic lapper band is attached to the rear truck and was used in 1980s vert skating to make the transition to the half pipe rail smoother. The wheels seen on the skateboard today are not original to the board -- these are modern SPF formula Bones wheels which were on the board when Tony donated the board at the "Quicksilver All '80's Vert Challenge in 2011. Tony Hawk began competing at age 12 and turned pro at 14. An innovative vert skater, Hawk competed in over 100 competitions before he was 25 and was the first to land a 900 in competition. Hawk retired in 1999 but continues to skate in exhibitions and demos. In that same year, Hawk created ‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’ video game franchise which became one of the most popular video games in history. The Tony Hawk Foundation has funded over $5 million to over 550 skate park projects throughout the world.
Vernon Courtlandt Johnson joined Powell Peralta in 1978 and began creating many of the iconic images we see in skateboarding today. The skull imagery was prevalent in Courtlandt’s black and white ink drawings during this time as were the sword and dragon. The images reflected the philosophy of skating as individualistic, drawing on the powerful symbols of life and death to convey the skate community’s audacious spirit. Courtlandt created specific designs for each rider – Tony Hawk and his Birdhouse logo, Mike McGill and his snake and skull logo – producing a strong, almost personal bond to the athlete and his followers. Courtlandt’s images from the 1980s are much sought after by collectors as works of art. His designs today are creating a new allegiance of admirers.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1986
user
Hawk, Tony
ID Number
2011.0017.01
accession number
2011.0017
catalog number
2011.0017.01

Margo Oborg

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1981-11-25
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.070
catalog number
2014.0112.070
accession number
2014.0112

Louis "Red" Klotz

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1986-02-20
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.161
catalog number
2014.0112.161
accession number
2014.0112

Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1989-01-12
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.112
catalog number
2014.0112.112
accession number
2014.0112

Mark Dayton

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1982
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.624
catalog number
2014.0112.624
accession number
2014.0112

First issue of Transworld Skateboarding magazine

This is the first issue of Transworld Skateboarding Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 1, May/June 1983 which has a color photograph of Steve Caballero on the cover.
Description (Brief)
This is the first issue of Transworld Skateboarding Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 1, May/June 1983 which has a color photograph of Steve Caballero on the cover. Skateboarding Magazine or Transworld Skateboarding as it is known today has been a leader in the industry for over 30 years, created in response to Thrasher Magazine’s “skate and destroy” approach to skate culture. Larry Balma, founder of Tracker Trucks and co-creator of Transworld Skateboarding Magazine along with Peggy Cozen discussed these early beginnings in a 2003 Union-Tribune interview: "They were pretty harsh, sex and drugs and using four-letter words and all that and in the early '80s, the sport started growing and [Thrasher] wasn't the best magazine for young kids." This philosophy led to Cozen’s “skate and create” motto using professional photographers to document skating as both a sport and a lifestyle and using professional skaters to bring credibility to the mix. In 1997, Transworld was sold to Time Warner and a corporate mentality began to creep into the magazine’s pages which didn’t sit right with many of the original editors so they left and created their own publication, Skateboarder Mag. In March of 2013 Transworld became the largest selling skateboarding magazine in the world and was sold to GrindMedia in May of 2013. Former Skateboarder Magazine editor-in-chief, Jamie Owens joined the Transworld team and stated in an interview in an October 2013 Transworld that, "TWS‘ hallmark has always been amazing photography of the biggest names in skateboarding. Growing up with TransWorld meant I was always seeing the best skateboarding being done by the best skaters shot by the best photographers. That documentation of skateboarding is unsurpassed."
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1983
ID Number
2013.0185.03
accession number
2013.0185
catalog number
2013.0185.03

Walt Frazier Jr.

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1989-02-06
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.173
catalog number
2014.0112.173
accession number
2014.0112

Street Survival scrapbook

Scrapbook describing the making of the “Street Survival” video through photographs, a calendar of the shooting schedule, marketing strategies and notes. The scrapbook was created by Michael Hays, one of the directors of the “Street Survival” video.
Description (Brief)
Scrapbook describing the making of the “Street Survival” video through photographs, a calendar of the shooting schedule, marketing strategies and notes. The scrapbook was created by Michael Hays, one of the directors of the “Street Survival” video. "Street Survival" is an instructional video that teaches viewers rudimentary information about the sport & lifestyle of skateboarding and skateboarding tricks. The video was written, produced and directed by the donors George Leichtweis President and Producer of Reel Thing Productions, Inc. and Owner of Modern Skate and Surf Company; and Michael Hays Vice President and Director of Reel Thing Productions. Inc. and Manager of Modern Skate and Surf, Company. Before video was common, skateboarders had to rely on skate magazines to learn tricks through photographs. Videos, such as this one, revolutionized the way skaters learned tricks and increased the sport’s popularity worldwide.
The star of the video is Bill Danforth also known as "The American Nomad" for his compulsion to travel anywhere to skate. A Detroit native, Bill Danforth began skating in the 1970s with his first skate deck issued in 1986. He became a member of Tony Alva's skate team in the late 1980s and skated in Thrasher’s King of the Road in 2005. Danforth still skates and teaches today and is widely respected among old and new skaters for his resilience and natural ability.
Please follow this link to view the scrapbook in its entirety:
http://edan.si.edu/slideshow/slideshowViewer.htm?damspath=/Public_Sets/NMAH/NMAH-CIS/2015_3003_01
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1980s
ID Number
2013.3045.03
nonaccession number
2013.3045
catalog number
2013.3045.03

Walt Frazier and Walt Frazier Jr.

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1989-02-12
depicted (sitter)
Frazier, Walt
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.183
catalog number
2014.0112.183
accession number
2014.0112

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