National Sporting Heritage Day 2025

National Sporting Heritage Day is an annual celebration of all things sport in the heritage world.

We start our new online resource by paying tribute to Dickie Bird MBE OBE who died in September 2025, since his death was announced tributes to the legendry English cricketer and international cricket umpire have been flooding in from around the globe 

Dickie Bird in the exhibition space stood next to case containing memorabilia and his This is Your Life folder

Dickie Bird My Life In Cricket

In 2017 there was an exhibition in Experience Barnsley all about Dickie's impressive career. We also interviewed him about growing up in Barnsley and what the town means to him.

 

The exhibition in 2017 included a new film, in conversation with Harry Gration

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Dickie Bird is rememberd in Experience Barnsley with objects in the sporting Barnsley section and just behind the town hall, on the way to Churchfield's Peace Garden is the iconic sculpture by Barnsley born Graham Ibbeson MBE.

Sporting Objects

A collection of brightly colored tennis balls arranged in a grid. The balls display various brand names and logos, including Slazenger and Dunlop, and come in yellow, orange, red, green, purple, and blue.

We have put together a page of objects from our sporting collections