Game Changer: United by Sports

Game Changer: United by Sports is open at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, running from September 6, 2025, through January 10, 2027. It's presented by Garry Weber and takes over the Bradford M. Freeman Exhibition Gallery, so you've got plenty of time to catch it.

There are more than fifty artifacts and memorabilia on display, and a few of them are the kind of things you usually only see in a textbook. Two of Jesse Owens' four 1936 Olympic gold medals are there, and Jackie Robinson's glove sits alongside the bat he used to hit his iconic 1952 All-Star Game home run. The exhibit also brings in soccer memorabilia from FC Dallas, Dallas Trinity FC, and the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Around those pieces, the exhibit looks at how sports are woven into American history, spotlighting moments that put the country on the world stage and milestones that don't always make the history books. One of those is President Bush's first pitch at the World Series in New York after 9/11. It also touches on how athletes like Owens and Robinson inspired change far beyond the game. A dedicated gallery celebrates North Texas sports with a rotating selection of local-team memorabilia, including the history of SMU football and the Cotton Bowl Classic. Museum Director Teresa Lenling pointed to President Bush's lifelong love of sports and his belief in their ability to bring people together as the thread running through it all.

The Bush Center is on the SMU campus in Dallas, a nonpartisan institution that houses the George W. Bush Presidential Museum, the George W. Bush Institute, and the George W. Bush Presidential Library. Admission to the exhibit is included with a ticket to the museum's permanent exhibit.