Federal Tax ID # 41-2041155 The IISOH is organized to operate a Library and Museum for the History of Sport, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance, Sport in Art and the Olympic Games. We plan to build a a facility in central Pennsylvania that includes a comprehensive Library for research and a museum that includes sports facilities for every sport, indoor and outdoor with certain exceptions (no mou
ntain sports, no sea/river sports facilities, no equestrian sports).
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Our Story
International Institute for Sport History
Sunday, April 4, 2021
The IISOH is organized to operate a Library and Museum for the History of Sport, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance, Sport in Art and the Olympic Games. We plan to build a a facility in central Pennsylvania that includes a comprehensive Library for research and a museum that includes sports facilities for every sport, indoor and outdoor with certain exceptions (no mountain sports, no sea/river sports facilities, no equestrian sports). The Library collects books and printed matter on all sports subjects and invites donations of books, magazines, periodicals and all printed material on any sport in any language. For example, we want to collect every book that has ever been printed on the subject of fencing, gymnastics, wrestling, baseball, basketball, etc. in every language of the world... including French, German, Spanish, Latin, Italian, Japanese... you get the idea. Every book, in every language... to develop a comprehensive research collection on sport worldwide. Retired Physical Education teachers, Coaches and administrators - please donate your entire library and working files to build our collections. We will preserve your papers in our sport archives. Doctors, lawyers, architects - we want books on sport medicine, sport law, sport architecture - please donate!! The Museum collects artifacts on all sports including posters, statuary, uniforms and textiles, coins and stamps (numismatic and philatelic items) artwork, and all forms of memorabilia. The Museum also includes all of the sports facilities that are planned for the IISOH campus, including the replica of the ancient Stadium of Olympia, the indoor and outdoor sports facilities and the statuary that is planned for the outdoor Museum “rooms.”
The IISOH plans to build sports facilities that serve multiple purposes. Every sport started in some small way and we will try to illustrate the history through the facilities, such as basketball being played in a small gym with peach baskets hung on the walls. We will provide early versions of sports facilities next to modern sports facilities so that visitors can actually play the original game and learn the origins and history of their favorite sport. But right next door or nearby will be the modern version of the facility so they can also play the game with the facilities and rules of the modern era. For example we plan to have a bowling alley in the basement of the Museum where one can roll a wooden ball down a “grass” alley to knock down wooden pins - but a friend has to set the pins back up for you. As you move to the right each lane in the IISOH bowling alley shows how the game evolved until you reach the far right end of the row where the most modern, up-to-date alley allows you to bowl with automatic equipment. So... in the IISOH Museum you participate in sport by playing the historical game or the modern game, or both. The IISOH has numerous educational programs that have already started online. Use the National Olympic Committee Directory for sports information worldwide, and see the upcoming Sports Directories for each sport to find a place to participate. The IISOH published the SPORT IN ART POSTER SERIES in order to promote the subject of ”Sport in Art” as well as the specific sport that is being illustrated. Two posters have been published, Wrestling and Gymnastics, with over 200 more planned for the future in a permanent publishing program. The IISOH has established two websites for the public with www.sportlibrary.org currently the primary source of information while www.iisoh.org is being rebuilt and expanded. Several short term and long term fundraising campaigns are designed to build endowments that will help fund the operations of the IISOH permanently. The public is invited to become “CHARTER MEMBERS” or to establish Memorials or Honorariums as permanent online “Tributes.” There is also a TRIBUTE page established to honor the Philadelphia Eagles Football team for their Super Bowl victory in February 2018. Pittsburgh Steeler fans are welcome to establish a similar TRIBUTE for the success of the Steelers in history. More information is available online at www.sportlibrary.org or by contacting the IISOH via email at [email protected]. The IISOH is a Pennsylvania non-profit educational, literary and research corporation under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax deductible. Federal Tax ID # 41-2041155.
