Pennsylvania's hidden secret

C. Christopher Morris © Cricinfo

While it is generally assumed that the best cricket archives are found in the main cricket-playing countries, one of the best such archives is right here in the USA, at Haverford College in Pennsylvania. The C. Christopher Morris Cricket Library and collection is the largest collection of cricket literature and memorabilia in the Western Hemisphere.

It includes over a thousand volumes, and a very large collection of related printed and photographic materials and items of cricket history. The initial suggestion for a cricket repository at Haverford College was made by John Lester, who proposed that cricket, "with a history and literature second to none," should be given a permanent home in the United States. Haverford College would be an especially appropriate headquarters, he pointed out, because the library already held a considerable nucleus of material including a complete run of the original American Cricketer, a long run of Wisden's Almanack and much other cricket literature no longer obtainable.

The Library's primary efforts focus on preserving the history of the game of cricket, especially in America, in all forms. The library's mission is to be a repository where cricket records and memorabilia are exhibited, catalogued, researched and preserved for posterity. It is a place where the traditions of this unique game remain as an available part of the American heritage and where new generations may learn.

Recently, the Library has added extensive computer capability at allow internet access to its collection. It has also started a collection of cricket videos, both historical and current in content, that are available in the library for viewing. The C. Christopher Morris Cricket Library is an experience into the rich history of the sport in America with the collection and exhibits bringing to life over 150 years of active cricket the US.