Fri Dec 20 12:03:43 UTC 2024: ## MCG Library: A Treasure Trove of Cricket History Unveiled
**Melbourne, Australia –** The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) library, celebrating its 150th anniversary, houses a remarkable collection chronicling the history of sport, particularly cricket. A recent tour revealed a wealth of rare photographs, scorecards, and articles detailing India’s first tour of Australia in 1947-48, including poignant images of the team paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi following his assassination.
The library boasts over a million items, including 8,000 rare books and manuscripts, making it one of the world’s best sports-related archives. Highlights from the Indian tour include photographs of Lala Amarnath’s captaincy, C.K. Naidu’s dismissal by Sir Donald Bradman, and Bradman facing Vinoo Mankad. The collection also showcases India’s Olympic hockey triumphs, notably their 1956 gold medal win against Pakistan at the MCG.
Beyond cricket, the library contains extensive material on various sports like hockey, football, tennis, and golf, along with Australian sporting history. Librarians highlighted the library’s comprehensive collection, dating back to the earliest days of cricket and including rare women’s cricket materials. While some digitization has occurred, the library prioritizes preserving fragile and high-demand materials, focusing on non-copyrighted items. Academics praised the MCG library’s role in preserving important sporting history. With the upcoming Boxing Day Test, the library anticipates increased visitor numbers.
First Piper 