Sports have been woven within the fabric of American culture since its infancy. It’s a source of national pride. While it is a significant aspect of sports in America, there is much more to the game than the economic impact of this industry, which rakes in billions each year. And as with anything on a scale of this magnitude, sports do not come without their controversies. However, for so many Americans, its meaning and significance reach beyond bad press and find roots in the stories of what it means to live freely and to live boldly. It’s more than just a game.

It’s nostalgia. “Take Me Back to the Ballgame” reverberates through the car radio, and the call of childhood memories carries you through time to hot dogs and popcorn and sticky bench seats from spilled Coca-Cola. The leaves start to fall, and suddenly you’re cheering in the stands beneath the falling snow as your classmates pass around tomorrow’s paper announcing the first state football championship win in your high school’s history. Sports come hand in hand with core memories that hold the innocence of childhood.

It’s inspirational. From the worldwide Olympic events to the small-town Little League baseball games, the message that lingers long after the scoreboard dims is one of achieving dreams. The athletic endeavor of organized sports tells us that anything is possible if you can find the will and determination to persevere. Sports history is filled with underdogs and hard-fought wins that the spectators can relate to, can aspire to. The game tells the world that the impossible is just within reach if you are only brave enough to seize it.

It’s community. Towns will line up for parades after their local high school basketball team defeats their biggest rival, and friends will share drinks at the local bar while watching their favorite NFL teams compete in the Super Bowl. Fandom breeds connection as people don jerseys and memorabilia to game-watching gatherings and special events to root for their chosen team and bond over the thrill of the game. The community collective doesn’t just reside locally, but extends across the nation and stretches across the globe. The love of sports crosses cultures, nations, and geographical divides.

So it is no surprise that sports magazines not only thrive in America, but also that they come in abundance. Thanks to the generosity of Samir Husni, this collection of sports magazines from the 1980s through the early 2000s is now accessible by way of this exhibit. In a time before the fast-paced information network of social media, magazines were the news source, and Americans would line up at newspaper stands and grocery store aisles weekly to flip through the flimsy pages of periodicals for a glimpse of their favorite stars. From major hitters such as ESPN the Magazine and Slam to one-hit wonders like Soccer Illustrated and Baseball Major League Preview, this collection shines a light on the achievements of America’s greats and the communities that rallied behind them along the way.