Merced County Courthouse Museum's new exhibit entitled Sports and Recreation: Facing Challenge, Having Fun will open on Thursday, July 1 from 5 to 7 pm. Want to find out: why baseball was Merced County's favorite pastime; how duck hunting, fishing, and rabbit drives drew participants far and near; how Merced High coach Bill Joerg and Los Banos High coach Carlyle Loftin led their school teams to championships; how Brynhild Grasmoen journeyed to the 1948 Winter Olympics; who the first inductees into the Merced County Sports Hall of Fame were; and how ethnic pastimes made our community unique. This exhibit featuring photographs, artifacts, and oral histories from the 1860s to 1960s emphasizes the role sports play in transforming individual as well as community life in Merced County. Two passes to all Merced High School's 2004-2005 athletic events donated by Merced High School Student Body will be the door prize for the opening reception on July 1.