A visitor to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum will find all the things one might expect to see in a place committed to preserving the history of the game: old sticks, photos of iconic players and events, uniforms, equipment and more.

But there’s also something else in the museum that a visitor might be surprised to see: multiple pieces of lacrosse-themed art, including paintings and sculptures. Each piece helps to tell part of the story of lacrosse. 

“The art does add a historical perspective, especially since a lot of it revolves around the Native American experience,” said Joe Finn, archivist for US Lacrosse and the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum.

Those pieces, which include several bronze sculptures donated to the museum by collectors, provide a fairly authentic depiction of the Native lacrosse experience of the 1700s and 1800s. Since photographs from the period were not available, the artistic adaptations help visitors to visualize the game as it was during that time.

“The art in our museum captures the Native dress and equipment reasonably accurately,” Finn said. “Visitors are getting a glimpse of how the game was played and what it looked like.”

The Ball Player, a 36-inch painted bronze sculpture by Mike Call, was donated to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum by private collector Robert Mongeluzzi for the museum’s grand re-opening in 2016, along with a second piece by Call that also depicts Native American lacrosse. The Ball Player depicts a Native American lacrosse player with costuming and war paint.
 

Another sculpture that commemorates a more modern milestone in the history of the men’s game is the Air Gait bronze by artist Fred Kail. Created in 1991 specifically for the museum, the 24-inch statue draws a lot of attention from visitors.

The statue captures the iconic scoring play by Syracuse’s Gary Gait, unveiled for the first time in an NCAA playoff game against Penn in 1988. Starting from behind the net, Gait launched himself over the cage from outside of the crease and stuffed the ball into the goal.

“That’s always been very popular, probably because so many people have heard of the Air Gait and can relate to it,” Finn said. 

Finn appreciates that each piece of art is unique, combining the vision and style of the artist to create a distinct point of view. Ultimately, it’s another outlet for lacrosse fans to share their passion for the game.

“Art can be just as effective as a piece of old equipment or an old uniform in helping people to appreciate the game,” Finn said. “We try to have items that visitors will notice and that will enhance the game in their eyes.”

Joe Finn serves as archivist for US Lacrosse and the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum, a role he has held since 1998. As a lifelong Baltimore-area resident, Finn first caught the lacrosse bug in high school and has combined his love for the game and his love of history into becoming one of the foremost authorities on lacrosse. Submit questions to halloffamearchives@uslacrosse.org.