The New York Times: Remembering the ‘Black Fives’ of Pro Basketball
We are speechless with delight and gratitude for this amazing full-page review of the Black Fives Exhibition at the New-York Historical Society by the great Richard Sandomir of the New York Times, in the newspaper’s Museums section: Remembering the ‘Black Fives’ of Pro Basketball.
Here is a brief excerpt:
Mr. Johnson’s collection — which makes up the bulk of the exhibition — was built primarily through purchases on eBay.
“Over the years, I got these things and it dawned on me that nobody’s going after this stuff,” he said. “I always bid what it was worth to me, personally, and most of the time, I’d blow people out of the water. For a long time, honestly, nobody cared, and in some ways, we’re still under the radar.”
The exhibition features equipment from the early 20th century, like leather kneepads and hand-stitched leather sneakers.
“Shoes are such an incredible part of the culture today,” said Stephen Edidin, the chief curator of the society’s museum division. “Those shoes look like cool retro shoes that could be made today.”
To get any kind of a review in the New York Times is very rare, so if it got full-page attention then there must be something extraordinarily special about this exhibition! Have you seen it yet? Find out for yourself! “The Black Fives” at the New-York Historical Society is open through July 20, 2014.