Black and White Reproduction Lithograph of Basketball Player George Mikan
date: label: date made
content: 1960s
name: label: Associated Name
content: Los Angeles Lakers
notes: label: Description
content: Print, reproducing an illustration of NBA star George Mikan done by artist Robert Riger. The drawing was part of a series produced by Riger for The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. Originally used in advertisments, the prints were offered by the Society primarily to encourage physical fitness amongst children.
label: Description
content: George Mikan (1924-2005) was the National Basketball Association’s first superstar. Standing six foot ten inches and weighing 245 pounds, the bespectacled center first attracted national attention at Depaul University (1942-1945,) where he was a three time All-American and two-time NCAA College Player of the year. After college, Mikan played professionally for the Minneapolis Lakers in the NBL and BAA, predecessors to the NBA. When the NBA was formed in 1949 the Lakers were an inaugural member.
label: Description
content: Famous for his collegiate dominance, Mikan was essential to the success of the infant NBA, giving the league both sport star-power and credibility. As its premier player, Mikan led the NBA in scoring in its opening season, powering the Lakers to the league’s first championship.
label: Description
content: Mikan’s professional career was shortened due to injuries and family obligations. In the years he was active he was a four time All-Star and a three-time Scoring Champion.
label: Description
content: Credited with redefining the center position, Mikan’s dominance near the basket led the league to change the game’s rules, doubling the width of the foul lane, a decision known as "Rhe Mikan Rule." A shooting drill known as "The Mikan Drill," developed at Depaul in order to develop a soft touch around the basket is still practiced in gyms across the country
label: Description
content: .
label: Description
content: Mikan was enshrined in the National Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959, and in 1996 was named one of "The 50 Greatest Basketball Players of All-Time".
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: web subject
content: Sports
label: name of sport
content: Basketball
label: level of sport
content: Professional
setName: label: See more items in
content: Culture and the Arts: Sport and Leisure
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Sule Greg C. Wilson
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1992.0165.07.10
label: accession number
content: 1992.0165
label: catalog number
content: 1992.0165.07.10
objectType: label: Object Name
content: lithograph, basketball
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: paper (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 11 in x 7 3/4 in; 27.94 cm x 19.685 cm