Timbale Stick, used by Tito Puente: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This drum stick was made by Latin Percussion, Inc. in Garfield, New Jersey, around 1990-1996. It is a timbales stick, made of wood. It was used by Tito Puente in the closing ceremonies of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. The stick is printed:

Ernesto Antonio "Tito" Puente, Jr. (1923–2000) was an American musician, songwriter and record producer. Born in New York City's Spanish Harlem to Puerto Rican parents, Tito Puente became one of the most important Latino bandleaders, composers, arrangers, and percussionists of his generation. He mastered both Afro-Caribbean music and jazz, contributing to the development of Latin Jazz, mambo, and salsa. In collaboration with other great Latin music and jazz artists, he brought a new Latin sound to American music.

The 1996 Summer Olympic Games were held in Atlanta, Georgia and marked the first time since 1984 that the United States topped the medal count. These Games saw over 10,000 athletes, from 197 countries, competing in 26 sports, including the debuts of beach volleyball, mountain biking, softball and women’s soccer. This was also the first Games in which American women, who had taken full advantage of Title IX legislation, competed and excelled in Olympic competition. The women’s gymnastics, soccer, softball and basketball teams all won gold, propelling the US women athletes into the global spotlight and beginning their dominance in Olympic competition. Atlanta benefitted from the Games as Centennial Olympic Park led to the revitalization of the downtown area and the Olympic Village became residence housing for area universities.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: 1990 - 1996
• user: Puente, Tito
• maker: Latin Percussion
• Object Name: drum stick
• Physical Description: wood (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 13 in x 1/2 in; 33.02 cm x 1.27 cm
• place made: United States: New Jersey, Garfield
• Subject: Olympics
• Subject: Music
• related event: Olympic Summer Games: Atlanta, 1996
• ID Number: 1996.0304.02
• accession number: 1996.0304
• catalog number: 1996.0304.02
• Credit Line: Gift of Tito Puente
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.