Sport and the Body

The Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum’s new Sport and the Body exhibition highlights Pittsburgh’s critical role in the evolution of sports medicine and orthopaedic surgery.

Since the first Olympic Games in Greece, humans have been studying, treating, and training the body for participation in sport. The work of visionary Pittsburgh doctors such as Dr. Albert Ferguson and Dr. Freddie Fu built an international reputation in sports medicine that trained practitioners in every corner of the world in the innovative treatments and techniques developed locally.

From advances in joint replacement and ACL surgery to diagnosing and treating concussions, Pittsburgh’s innovations in sports medicine have resulted in tools for injury assessment and prevention, cutting-edge surgical techniques, and procedures to help athletes safely return to play.

The Sports Museum’s Sport and the Body exhibit explores advances in nutrition, hydration, prevention, treatment, and more. The long-term exhibit introduces the stories from Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre dancers who demonstrate strength and stamina, and champion athletes who have built their bodies for success such as Western Pa. shot putter Jordan Geist.

Through engaging interactives, video, compelling artifacts, and touchable models, visitors can follow the journey of local athletes and their care teams and learn how the innovative techniques and treatments developed for elite athletes in the region benefit the health and well-being of all.

Updates to the Sports Museum are made possible through generous support from UPMC and UPMC Health Plan.

Exhibition Highlights

Guardian Cap worn by Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson, preseason 2022 The evolution of football equipment has been key to making the game safer for players. By 2022, more than 2,000 high schools and 200 colleges used these protective helmet covers at practice. That year, the NFL mandated for all 32 teams that players subject to the most head contact— linemen, tight ends, and linebackers—were required to wear the caps in practices up until the second preseason game. Other players, such as Johnson, chose to wear them. Gift of Pittsburgh Steelers

White coat worn by Dr. Freddie Fu who innovated the surgery for ACL injuries Dr. Fu revolutionized the treatment of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries by pioneering the anatomic ACL reconstruction technique. Early in his career, he had the opportunity to study the evolution of the human body with noted anthropologist and anatomist Dr. Owen Lovejoy. That work informed his understanding of the individual nature of each person’s anatomy and led to his revolutionary surgical techniques. Gift of Dr. Freddie Fu

Shot put and discus used by Jordan Geist, 2017 In his sophomore year at Knoch High School Jordan captured the first of three shot put championships at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia and then his first of three PIAA (AAA) state championships in both the shot put and the discus. He set, and still holds, the Pennsylvania high school record in the shot put (76 feet), the discus (208-7), and the indoor record for shot put (76-10.5). Gift of Jordan Geist

Gatorade cooler dumped on Mike Tomlin after the Steelers defeated the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, Feb. 1, 2009 The Kansas City Chiefs became the first professional team to use Gatorade in 1969 and in 1983 it became the official sports drink of the National Football League. Players can choose to have water or other fluids available on the sidelines at games and at practice, but orange coolers filled with Gatorade are now ubiquitous at NFL games and other sporting events. Courtesy Pro Football Hall of Fame

Steelers players shower Mike Tomlin with Gatorade as the seconds wind down in Super Bowl XLIII The New York Giants became the first team to dump a cooler of Gatorade over their coach, Bill Parcells, after a victory. That 1984 event quickly became a tradition. Now coaches from Little League to the big leagues are often doused with the drink after a big win. Courtesy Pittsburgh Steelers Football Club, photo by Dave Arrigo.

Dr. Ferguson and residents, c. 1980 Here Dr. Ferguson interacts with a group of surgical residents including former Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Freddie Fu, seated at left. Known to his colleagues and friends as “Ferg,” Ferguson’s dynamic leadership built an orthopaedic program grounded in the quality care of patients, innovative research and treatment protocols, and excellent professional training. Courtesy of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre artists David O’Matz and Grace Rookstool, 2023 Courtesy of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, photograph by Rieder Photography

Jordan Geist competes in discus for the University of Arizona at the Desert Heat Classic, Tucson, Ariz., May 1, 2021 A Knoch High School alum, Geist has continued to set records and notch wins, finishing his career at Arizona as the NCAA indoor and outdoor shot put champion in 2023. Courtesy of University of Arizona, photo by Mike Christy