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Delta State to host Smithsonian’s Hometown Teams exhibit

By August 1, 2016Athletics

Among the four commonly recognized seasons of the year, most in the Delta would agree that sports have their own seasons as well. Major decisions are made after consulting football, baseball and basketball schedules. Right behind family devotion is our appreciation and dedication to sports, especially here at Delta State University. Whether we’re competing in organized leagues, in high school athletics, or on a larger stage, sports play a role in our every day lives.

“We’re very excited to be able to host the Smithsonian Institute’s ‘Hometown Teams: How Sports Shape America’ at Delta State,” said Emily Jones, university archivist. “Sports play a large role in our cultural landscape and this exhibit focuses on the direct connections they play within our communities.”

After a competitive application process, the Delta State University Archives & Museum won a bid to host the newest Smithsonian traveling exhibit. Administered through a partnership with the Mississippi Humanities Council, the exhibit has already toured at four locations in the state. On Sept. 29, the public is invited to tour the exhibit in conjunction with the Heritage Bell Classic against in-state rival, Mississippi College.

On display inside the Chadwick-Dickson Field House, the exhibit will run through Nov. 11, 2016. To schedule a tour for your school or organization, contact University Archives at 662-846-4781.

Delta Regional Foundation, a non-profit organization founded to enhance educational opportunities in Mississippi, is sponsoring the exhibit programming on display in the Capps Archives & Museum building, “Play Ball: A History of Sports in the Delta.” DRF board president Charlie McGuffee is a former member of the Statesmen baseball team and native of Drew, where he was a multi-sport standout at Drew High School.

Earlier this year, DSU representatives traveled to Jackson for the unveiling of the exhibit at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.

“Few aspects of American culture so colorfully and passionately celebrate the American experience as sports,” said Bob Santelli, curator of Hometown Teams.

This project was made possible by a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council, through support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in the exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the Mississippi Humanities Council.