Widely regarded as America's most prolific and influential play scholar, Brian Sutton-Smith produced more than 50 books and 350 articles on play theory, children's folklore, and games over a career spanning six decades. A 1952 Fulbright Scholar who received New Zealand's first PhD in educational psychology, he taught at Bowling Green, Columbia Teachers College, and the University of Pennsylvania. He helped found the Association for the Study of Play and received lifetime achievement awards from both TASP and the American Folklore Society. His collected papers are held in the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play at The Strong Museum. His central argument — that play is irreducibly ambiguous — challenged decades of functionalist approaches and opened play scholarship to richer, more complex interpretations. He passed away in March 2015.
