SPECIAL EXHIBITION RIBBON-CUTTING "United We Play"

“Our new exhibition will engage both Kansas Citians and people from around the world visiting for the FIFA World Cup matches,” said Mark Adams, director of the Truman Library.

As Kansas City welcomes the world for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum invites you to explore United We Play: Kicking It with the Trumans—a new exhibition showcasing the power of sports to inspire and unite us.

This original show will feature an all-star lineup—hundreds of artifacts, photos, videos and stories featuring the Trumans and Kansas City’s sports teams, including the Chiefs, the Monarchs, Blues, A’s, and Royals baseball clubs, as well as Sporting KC and the KC Current soccer teams.

Discover the lifelong connection between the Trumans and legendary Kansas basketball coach Phog Allen. Be inspired by President Truman’s calisthenics routine, as demonstrated at the “Truman Athletic Club” on the USS Missouri. And re-visit Truman’s harsh critique of Coach Hank Stram’s call after the Chiefs lost to the Raiders.

“Our new exhibition will engage both Kansas Citians and people from around the world visiting for the FIFA World Cup ,” said Mark Adams, director of the Truman Library. “The Trumans loved sports. Bess was quite an athlete as a young woman and President Truman loved horseshoes, fishing, and swimming. Of course, Kansas City’s football, baseball and soccer teams are a huge source of community pride, so this exhibition brings all those elements together in a celebration of sports.”

United We Play will showcase a remarkable collection of artifacts, souvenirs and memorabilia, including:

• NFL season passes made of 14k gold presented to President Truman
• Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt’s ticket to the first game played in Arrowhead Stadium
• Bess Wallace Truman’s ice skates
• President Truman’s cap from the Kansas City Blues baseball club
• Kansas City Royals jacket and George Brett commemorative bat presented to President Ronald Reagan after the 1985 World Series Championship
• 2015 Kansas City Royals World Series jersey given to White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest, a Kansas City native
• Photo of President Truman with baseball icons Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle
• Soccer ball from the 2013 Sporting Kansas City championship team

“Sports spark our passion and create joy like few other things,” said Alex Burden, Executive Director of the Truman Library Institute. “We believe United We Play will generate pride, nostalgia and a deeper understanding of the Trumans’ lives and how sports can unite our community and people around the world.”

The exhibition opens April 1 at the Truman Library at 500 West U.S. 24 Highway in Independence, MO. Both United We Play and The Story of US: America at 250 (opening April 20) are included with admission.

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