Organized by The National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution and sponsored by Philip Morris Incorporated and Miller Brewing Company

America has paid tribute to her sports heroes in the sta­ or Maureen Connolly, tennis champion; or Mendy dium, the media, and even on the backs of bubble gum Rudolph, prince of basketball referees; or Sam Snead, of the cards. The National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian glorious golf swing; or Tom Harmon, football great of Institution offers a deeper dimension of tribute: an exhibi­ Michigan? Where are they and hundreds of others who tion devoted to the great sports personalities our country gave their times a reason to cheer? Our answer can only has produced-from the early days when boxing was illegal, be-and we ourselves feel the pang of the omissions-that we track an entertainment for county fairs, and a have not tried to define an ultimate list of one hundred brawling newborn, to our own Golden Age of athletic American sports heroes and heroines ( can one ever be achievement. This is the first major sports exhibition ever made?), but to suggest an overview of many eras, sports mounted by the nation. It spotlights the men and women styles, and roles on and off the field. We cannot include all who-just like the politicians, the generals, the artists-have of America's champions, so we have tried to make our few shaped our sense of ourselves and, in a special way, have lent suggest the greatness of all. color to our lives and reaffirmed our faith in what the indi­ The making of sports heroes is an American tradition we vidual can do. seek to reflect, not explain. Certain sports-baseball and We need our myths, our legends. What other field has football above all-have produced more nationally recog­ produced so many' Joe DiMaggio at home plate, Willie nized figures than others, and so their contingents here are Shoemaker in the saddle, John L. Sullivan in the ri_ng. Jesse large. Other sports have come in for broad-based national Owens and Wilma Rudolph on the track. Jim Thorpe and attention only through the force of character of a particular Babe Didrikson expressing their physical genius in count­ individual, such as polo's Tommy Hitchcock; and we have less feats of endurance and skill. In a nation as diverse as tried to reflect that as well. We find, too, that certain eras ours, who has not heard of coach Knute Rockne; or have produced more than their fair share of champions- pre­ , "The Sultan of Swat"; or Johnny "Tarzan" eminently the Twenties and our own second Golden Age of Weissmuller, who swam before he swung; or Ben Hogan; Sport. Whether this is because greater numbers of superb or Sonja Henie? And who, fifty years from now, will not players have bunched in one generation or another, or only have heard of Muhammad Ali or Billie Jean King? These because the nation was more willing to watch and reward are figures whose lives have left a special resonance in our them at those times, is a riddle worthy of the chicken and memory, charismatic men and women who fascinate and the egg. We cannot answer it, but we have allowed those inspire. eras sway in our final selection. And, finally, we have been We also aim to breathe life back into several legends in influenced, too, by the disproportionate attention lavished eclipse: Isaac Murphy, the greatest jockey of the nineteenth on certain positions within a sport-and the personalities at­ century, until blacks ceased to dominate the field; Edward tracted to these positions. It is, above all, the sluggers and Payson Weston, a walker of epic spirit who met every chal­ the heavyweights who fill the arenas and inspire the sports­ lenge, including a punishing stride across the nation at age writers. Americans are stirred by offense more than by de­ seventy; Mike "King" Kelly, the first baseball hero to win fense, by aggressive power more than by patient strategy, by adulation and, in the process, a popular song, "Slide Kelly leaders more than by supportive players, by all-or-nothing Slide"; and Jackson Haines, the nineteenth-century dancer­ winners more than by good losers. These are the athletes turned-ice skater who was the first great figure skater shap­ who crowd our selection. ing the sport during his long stay abroad. With these stand Brought together here are some of the most dramatic and figures outside the competitive arena who were nevertheless exhilarating individuals our society has produced. Their great sportsmen: the legendary boxing promoter Tex magic is hard to define but unmistakable. This, then, is not Rickard, the horse trainer James "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons, a history of dates, of all-inclusive events, of encyclopedic the Bill Klem (with his satisfying sour face), and completeness; rather, it is a celebration of certain lives and the brilliant baseball commissioner and curmudgeon their power to move us. It is, above all, a tribute to the he­ . roic tradition of sports as a domain of the American We understand all too well how many great sports fig­ imagination_. ures the nation has produced and regret how few of them we have the space to include in our sampling. Where, for Marc Pachter example, are , the legendary St. Louis slugger;

© Philip Morris Incorporated 1981 Peggy Fleming Joe Louis "A first-rate baseball mind; a man " Bambi of the Blades" "The Brown Bomber" who loved baseball" 1964 before the age of 16 became Fight of June 22, 1938 defeated Player on such big league teams the youngest U.S . Senior Ladies German Max Schmeling, becam,e as Dodgers & Giants; Figure Skating Champion .in first black heavyweight to win 1926 ended his playing career, history; support of the entire boxing went on to manage major and 1966-1968 held World Champi­ public; minor teams; onship Title; Youngest boxer to win heavy­ 1949 became Yankees ' 1964-1968 held U.S. National weight championship; and that year they won the world Championship Title; series; 1968 Grenoble Olympics received For 12 successive years, under his Gold Medal for woman's figure leadership, Yankees won ten skating . pennants-a record five at one stretch-and seven world championships. Casey Stengel, Rhoda Sherbell, cast after 1965 original, Polychromed Joe Louis, Betsy Graves Reyneau , bronze, Collection The National Por­ Peggy Fleming, John G. Zimmerman , 1946, oil on canvas, Collection trait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, 1968, photograph, Collection Sports National Portrait Gallery, © Rhoda Sherbell lllustrated©TIME, Inc. 1968 Smithsonian Institution

Johnny Unitas Jack Nicklaus " The man with the Golden Arm" " He was able to push and stretch " The only golfer in history to win Between 1956-1960 quarterback himself into postures the human all four major tournaments three for the Baltimore Colts, won 47 body was never meant to take :· times." consecutive games; 1961 logged 18 wins to 13 losses, Qualified for National Amateur Twice played in Super Bowl; struck out 269 batters; Championship by age 15 and won Elected to the pro-football Hall of 1961-66 four years led league in at 19; Fame first year of eligibility; strikeouts, three years in victories; 1962 at age 22 beat top player Played 18 seasons in which time 1966 led in victories, innings Arnold Palmer for US Open Title; he attempted 5,186 passes and played, strikeouts, shutouts, com­ In last 18 years has won 5 completed 2,830, gained 40,239 plete games; Masters Tournaments, 3 British yards, passed 290 touchdowns-a Pitched 4 no-hitters in 4 succes­ Opens, 4 PGA Championships; record greater than any other sive seasons; June 1980 took his 4th U.S. quarterback in the National Foot­ In 6 years had 129 wins, 42 losses; Open . ball League. 1971 elected to Baseball Hall of Fame, youngest veteran ever.

JohnnyUnitas, Merv Corning, 1975, The Deadly Stroke: Jack Nicklaus, watercolor, Collection David A. Boss, Sandy Koufax Pitching, Neil Leifer, Donald Moss, 1975,acrylic and oil on National Football League Properties, 1965, photograph, Collection Sports canvas, Collection of the artist, Inc. Illustrated © TIME. Inc. 1965 ©TIME,lnc. 1975 (for Sports Illustrated)

Jim Ryun Arthur Ashe Willie Shoemaker "The youngest athlete to break the " Most significant Player of the "By the racing standard of horses 4 minute mile" Open Era " brought home to victory and 1964 at 17 timed 3 :59 in his first 1960-61 won U.S. Indoor Jr. purses collected, there's never major mile race; Championship; been a jockey like Shoemaker" 1964 Olympics placed third in First black to capture a national 1949 at age 18 rode 219 winners, 1,500 meters; men's tennis title; second highest number that year; 1965 beat world record holder, Mid-1960's had 20 match win­ Tied for first place next year with New Zealander Peter Snell, with ning streak; 388 winners; 3:55.3 mile; 1968 U.S. Championship at By October 1953 had 392 wins; 1966 clocked 3:51 .3 mile; Forest Hills beat out all comers in By 1974 had over 7,000 victories; 1967 broke his own record with First American Open tournament 1972 surpassed top jockey, Eddie 3:51 .1 mile. between amateurs and Arcaro with 554 stake victories. professionals; 1975 Master of Wimbledon, beat Jimmy Connors 6-1, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4,

Jim Ryun Breaking the Mile Record by Willie Shoemaker on Spectacular Bid, 2.3 Seconds, Rich Clarkson , 1966, Arthur Ashe, Jeanne Moutoussomy­ Richard Stone Reeves, 1980, oil on photograph, Collection Sports lllus­ Ashe, date unknown, photograph, canvas, Collection Roy Gene Evans trated ©TIME, Inc . 1966 Collection of the photographer and William M. Stuart Bill Russell Bob Mathias "Dominating force in professional "Only two-time decathlon winner .. Most dynamic, most dramatic, basketball of 1960's" in history" most fantastic, most exciting 1956 signed on with Boston 1948 London Olympics decathlon performer in action today" Celtics; winner with 7,139 points, young­ - Named to East All-Star team 11 est ever to win; Long term career from 20 year old times; Exceeded Jim Thorpe's 1912 rec­ Giants rookie to dean of baseball Won Most Valuable Player Award ord in all events except 100 meter players at age 42; 5 times; dash & 1,500 meter run; Chosen most valuable player in 1963 became captain of team; 1952 won the Olympic decathlon 1954 and 1965; 1966 first black to be head coach again; Outstanding record of 660 home ofan NBA team. 1948-1952 National Decathlon runs. Championship winner three times. SPONSOR'S STATEMENT

Bill Russell in a Match with the New York Knicks, James Drake, 1969, pho­ Bob Mathias, Ernest Hamlin Baker, Willie Mays, Fred Kaplan, 1964, tograph, Collection Sports Illustrated 1952, tempera, Collection Mr. and photograph, Collection of the i ©TIME, Inc. 1969 Mrs. Robert Mathias photographer ' "Buy me some peanuts and crackerjack, I don't care if I never We are honored to be associated with this exhibition. get back,,," ... from the exhibition of outstanding American Long before any of us joined Philip Morris, we, like almost sports heroes and heroines of the past century and everyone else, were committed fans of the greats of sports. more, mounted by The National Portrait Gallery of the Perhaps what we Americans like best about our sports Smithsonian Institution. idols is that we created them with our own zest and enthu­ Eric Heiden A.J. Foyt Bobby Hull "Best men's speed skater in "The total race driver" " 1960 's player of the decade" These heroes and heroines, with the legions of athletic siasm. They belong to us; we revel in their glory, take posses­ idols they typify, occupy a special place in our lives and in sion of their triumph, and hold them as trophies in our history" Since 1960, 7 times a national Fastest skater in National Hockey 1977 at Herrenveen, The Nether­ driving champion; League clocked at 28.3 mph skat­ our national psyche. To watch what they did so superbly collective memory. lands, became men's speed skat­ Four time winner of Indy Classic; ing with puck, 29.7 without; well could be called a form of social escape-but not entirely, In the arena, on the track, wherever they play at whatever ing champion of the world; 1972 winner of Daytona 500, Could slap a puck at 120 mph; and this show does not seek mere outbursts of instant nos­ they play, they are our designated surrogates performing the Declared a folk hero in Norway; U.S. top stock car race; Continually surpassed leading talgia for heroes and events vividly recalled, or vaguely re­ impossible, striving for perfection and often achieving it. 1980 Lake Placid Olympics cap­ 1967 teamed with Dan Gurney, records: membered, or perhaps never even known. They are just like us, only more so: 11-feet tall and strong, tured five gold medals: won France's sports-car classic, 1959-60 led NHL with 39 500-meter, 1000-meter, 1500- Twenty-four Hours of Le Mans, goals, Sports is lively, always contemporary and active. It is play fearless, fleet, keen of eye, daring and unbeatable. meter, 5,000-meter & 10,000- first U.S. team to win. 1961-62 scored 50 goals, and shared fun and then more: group drama, mass enter­ This exhibition is one of a kind and we are glad we came meter- races. 1965-66 scored 54 goals, tainment, community spectacle, politics. It is a feature of to the game. 1968-69 scored 58 goals; the times, inextricably woven into the tapestry of American Selected for All-Star Team 12 years; life. From our days as colonies inching toward union, the Played 22 seasons, 1,447 games, scored a total of 1,012 goals. spirit of American sports has been an integral component of the American spirit. For many, rooting for the home team and the local athlete was our first conscious exercise in Eric Heiden, Heinz Kleutmeier, 1980, A. J. Foyt, Heinz Kleutmeier, 1977, group belonging and patriotism. George Weissman photograph, Collection SRorts Illus- photograph, Collection Sports lllus- Bobby Hull, Neil Leifer, 1967, photo­ trated© TIME, Inc. 1980 trated ©TIME, Inc. 1977 graph, Collection of Sports Illustrated Philip Morris Incorporated, through corporate support Chairman of the Board ~ TIME, Inc. 1967 of art, has helped to mine our country's rich lode of history and Chief Executive Officer for insights into our national traits. We have sponsored Philip Morris Incorporated major exhibitions that travelled through the United States-and often, around the world-pertaining to American Indians, Western Art, Black Art, women, native folk art, Muhammad Ali Joe Namath Knute Rockne and children. Now in The National Portrait Gallery we "The Champion: First fighter to win "Football's greatest newsmaker" "Made football an American ~ heavyweight title 3 times" support a show of art about sports and more than 100 of its 1965 played for Alabama in the mania" I great figures. February 25, 1964 defeated Sonny Orange Bowl; Head football coach for Notre I Liston in 7th round, was declared Signed on to the NY Jets with Dame, a team which played be­ new heavyweight champion; highest contract in football fore a million spectators each May 1965 crushed Liston again in history; year; first round; 1968, his greatest season, culmi­ In 13 years lost only 12 games, 1970 lost to Joe Frazier after 34 nated with Miami Super Bowl Ill had five undefeated seasons, victories; where with 28 passing attempts, six seasons defeated only once, 1974 regained title against he completed 17-final score 16- 7, never a losing year; George Foreman; first Super Bowl victory for Jets. A master of motivating a team February 25, 1978 lost to Leon and drawing extraordinary action Spinks but 7 months later from them. regained title. October 2, 1980 defeated by Larry Holmes. Joe Namath on Sidelines at Shea Muhammad Ali, Andy Warhol, 1979, Stadium, Neil Leifer, November Knute Rockne on Football, a Notre acrylic and silk screen on canvas, Col­ 1974, ph o·1ograph, Sports Illustrated Dame magazine, 1931, The Sports lection Richard L. Weisman ©TIME, Inc. 1974 Immortals Collection of Joel Platt