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Office of Athletic Communications Records

Notifications

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: University Archives and Records Center [Contact Us]3401 Market Street, Suite 210, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Pennsylvania: University Archives and Records Center. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
UPE 25
Repository:
University of Pennsylvania: University Archives and Records Center
Extent:
5.5 cubic feet
Language:
English
Date:
1923-1951 (inclusive)
Abstract:
The University of Pennsylvania's Department of Athletic Communications, originally titled the Department of Athletic Publicity, was founded as a subdivision of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics on July 1, 1924. Its main duties, which have remained basically the same since its inception, are to act as a liaison to the media, to prepare press releases, to distribute press credentials for athletic contests, and to arrange interviews with athletes and coaches at the University. The Department of Athletic Communications Records primarily contains press releases and correspondence from the department during the period 1935-1951, with an unusually high concentration of material from the 1950-51 academic year.

The University of Pennsylvania's Department of Athletic Communications, originally titled the Department of Athletic Publicity, was founded as a subdivision of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics on July 1, 1924. Its main duties, which have remained basically the same since its inception, are to act as a liaison to the media, to prepare press releases, to distribute press credentials for athletic contests, and to arrange interviews with athletes and coaches at the University.

Penn became only the second college to name a Sports Publicity Director (Notre Dame was the first) when it selected Joseph T. Labrum, a 1921 graduate of the College, as the initial head of the department. Labrum guided the department until leaving to serve as the National Football League's publicity director on April 1, 1947.

Edward J. Hunter succeeded Labrum, but in 1950 his position was renamed Assistant Director, News Bureau - Athletic Information. However, this change in title did not affect Hunter's duties or the fact that his department still operated under the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Morton Berry followed Hunter as head of the department in 1951, but in 1953 he saw his title reverted to one outside the News Bureau, as Director of Sports Information.

The department, still a subdivision of the Department of Athletic Communications, is today known as the Department of Athletic Communications. The head of the department holds the title of Director of Athletic Communications.

The Department of Athletic Communications Records primarily contains press releases and correspondence from the department during the period 1935-1951, with an unusually high concentration of material from the 1950-51 academic year.

The press releases are the bulk of this collection, and approximately half of those releases are football- and basketball-related. This series in the collection appears to be nearly-comprehensive, with a high density of releases at all times except summer, the time when athletic contests at the University are annually put on hiatus.

A good deal of the correspondence portion of the collection deals with football, the largest sport at Penn at the time. The football part of the collection includes a high concentration from the 1950 season, with programs and statistics from every game that year, as well as media guides from each Penn opponent in 1950. In addition, the football portion of the collection includes a good deal of correspondence regarding press credentials and seats for the 1932-1935 Army-Navy gridiron games held at Franklin Field.

This collection also contains a significant amount of press-related correspondence regarding the Penn Relay Carnivals from 1938 to 1942. However, except for correspondence regarding the mailing list of the department's press releases from 1926 to 1932 and the Army-Navy football correspondence, this collection is sparse in its pre-1935 content.

This collection is arranged in two series: Correspondence, 1923 - 1951, and Press Releases, 1928 - 1951. The Correspondence series is arranged alphabetically by subject, while the Press Releases are arranged chronologically

Transferred from the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics in 1957 (accession number 57:8).

People
Organization
Subject

Publisher
University of Pennsylvania: University Archives and Records Center
Finding Aid Author
Jason A. Bodnar
Finding Aid Date
November 2000

Collection Inventory

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A, 1948-1951.
Box 1 Folder 1
American College Public Relations Association, 1949-1950.
Box 1 Folder 2
Athletes in Service, 1940-1941.
Box 1 Folder 3
Athletes in Service, 1942.
Box 1 Folder 4
Athletes in Service, 1943.
Box 1 Folder 5
Athletic Awards, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 6
Athletic Awards, New Regulations, 1934.
Box 1 Folder 7
B, 1950-1951.
Box 1 Folder 8
Barry, Sam, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 9
1947-1950, 1947-1950.
Box 1 Folder 10
1951, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 11
Biographies, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 12
Field Games, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 13
Freshmen, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 14
Penn Opponents, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 15
1946-1951, 1946-1951.
Box 1 Folder 16
Biographies, 1950-1951.
Box 1 Folder 17
Dougherty, Dick, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 18
Davis, Tom, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 19
Eastern College Athletic Conference, 1950-1951.
Box 1 Folder 20
Freshmen, 1950.
Box 1 Folder 21
Individual Game Statistics, 1950-1951.
Box 1 Folder 22
Jefferies, Hugh, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 23
National Collegiate Athletic Bureau, 1950-1951.
Box 1 Folder 24
Penn Opponents, 1949-1951.
Box 1 Folder 25
Bicentennial Celebration, 1940.
Box 1 Folder 26
Bushnell, Edward R., 1951.
Box 1 Folder 27
C, 1949-1951.
Box 1 Folder 28
Christmas Tree Committee For the Blind, 1949.
Box 1 Folder 29
Columbia, 1950-1951.
Box 1 Folder 30
Cozens, Ernie, 1929.
Box 1 Folder 31
1947-1949, 1947-1949.
Box 1 Folder 32
1951, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 33
Adams Cup Regatta, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 34
Henley Regatta, lightweight, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 35
Rosters, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 36
Skimmer Day, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 37
Cross Country, 1950.
Box 1 Folder 38
D, 1949-1951.
Box 1 Folder 39
F, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 40
Fencing, 1950-1951.
Box 1 Folder 41
Financial Statements, Penn Athletics, 1923-1930.
Box 1 Folder 42
Football, Army, 1950.
Box 1 Folder 43
Football, Army-Navy Game, September 1932-February 1933.
Box 1 Folder 44
Army-Navy Game, August 1933-November 1933.
Box 1 Folder 45
Army-Navy Game, August 1934-19 November 1934.
Box 1 Folder 46
Army-Navy Game, 20 November 1934-25 November 1934.
Box 1 Folder 47
Army-Navy Game, 26 November 1934-30 November 1934.
Box 1 Folder 48
Army-Navy Game, December 1934.
Box 1 Folder 49
Army-Navy Game, October 1935.
Box 1 Folder 50
Army-Navy Game, 1 November 1935-23 November 1935.
Box 1 Folder 51
Army-Navy Game, 24 November 1935-27 November 1935.
Box 1 Folder 52
Army-Navy Game, 28 November 1935-August 1936.
Box 1 Folder 53
Bagnell, Francis "Reds", 1950-1951.
Box 1 Folder 54
Biographies, 1947-1950.
Box 1 Folder 55
Brown, 1949-1950.
Box 1 Folder 56
California, 1950.
Box 1 Folder 57
Columbia, 1950.
Box 1 Folder 58
Cornell, 1950.
Box 1 Folder 59
Dartmouth, 1950.
Box 2 Folder 1
Diamond Jubilee, 1951.
Box 2 Folder 2
Film Correspondence, 1938.
Box 2 Folder 3
Film Correspondence, 1944.
Box 2 Folder 4
Film Correspondence, 1945.
Box 2 Folder 5
Film Correspondence, 1946.
Box 2 Folder 6
Freshmen, 1950.
Box 2 Folder 7
The Kickoff, 1951.
Box 2 Folder 8
Lemonick, Bernie, 1949.
Box 2 Folder 9
Navy, 1950.
Box 2 Folder 10
1908 Team Directory, c. 1950.
Box 2 Folder 11
1950 Season (Folder 1), 1949-1951.
Box 2 Folder 12
1950 Season (Folder 2), 1949-1951.
Box 2 Folder 13
Notre Dame, 1949.
Box 2 Folder 14
150-pound, 1950.
Box 2 Folder 15
Penn Band, 1950.
Box 2 Folder 16
Schedules, 1948-1949.
Box 2 Folder 17
Statistics, Virginia at Penn, 30 September 1950.
Box 2 Folder 18
Statistics, Penn at California, 7 October 1950.
Box 2 Folder 19
Statistics, Dartmouth at Penn, 14 October 1950.
Box 2 Folder 20
Statistics, Penn at Columbia, 21 October 1950.
Box 2 Folder 21
Statistics, Navy at Penn, 28 October 1950.
Box 2 Folder 22
Statistics, Army at Penn, 4 November 1950.
Box 2 Folder 23
Statistics, Brown at Penn, 11 November 1950.
Box 2 Folder 24
Statistics, Wisconsin at Penn, 18 November 1950.
Box 2 Folder 25
Statistics, Cornell at Penn, 25 November 1950.
Box 2 Folder 26
Virginia, 1950.
Box 2 Folder 27
Weekly Gridiron Report, 1951.
Box 2 Folder 28
Wisconsin, 1950.
Box 2 Folder 29
G, 1942-1951.
Box 2 Folder 30
General Alumni Society, 1949.
Box 2 Folder 31
Golf, 1947-1951.
Box 2 Folder 32
Grappler's Club Dinner, 1951.
Box 2 Folder 33
H, 1949-1951.
Box 2 Folder 34
Hunter, Edward J., articles written by, 1949.
Box 2 Folder 35
Hunter, Edward J., meetings and dinners, 1949-1950.
Box 2 Folder 36
1951, 1951.
Box 2 Folder 37
Press Releases, 1951.
Box 2 Folder 38
Press Requests, 1951.
Box 2 Folder 39
Programs, 1951.
Box 2 Folder 40
Interoffice Memos, 1951.
Box 2 Folder 41
Interscholastic Basketball Tournaments, 1920-1930.
Box 2 Folder 42
Ivy Group, 1948-1950.
Box 2 Folder 43
Ivy Group, Photographs, c. 1950.
Box 2 Folder 44
Ivy Group, Press Releases, 1948-1950.
Box 2 Folder 45
J, 1949.
Box 2 Folder 46
K, 1949-1951.
Box 2 Folder 47
L, 1950-1951.
Box 2 Folder 48
Lacrosse, 1947-1949.
Box 2 Folder 49
Lacrosse, 1950.
Box 2 Folder 50
Lacrosse, 1951.
Box 2 Folder 51
Look Magazine, 1951.
Box 2 Folder 52
M, 1949-1951.
Box 2 Folder 53
1926-1927, 1926-1927.
Box 2 Folder 54
1928-1929, 1928-1929.
Box 2 Folder 55
1930, 1930.
Box 2 Folder 56
1931-1932, 1931-1932.
Box 2 Folder 57
List, 1932.
Box 2 Folder 58
List, 1949-1950.
Box 2 Folder 59
N, 1947-1951.
Box 2 Folder 60
NCAA, 1950-1951.
Box 2 Folder 61
NCAA, Television and Football, 1951.
Box 2 Folder 62
Officials for Sports Events, 1950-1951.
Box 2 Folder 63
Organized Classes Report, 1932.
Box 2 Folder 64
P, 1949-1951.
Box 2 Folder 65
February 1938-15 April 1938, 1938.
Box 2 Folder 66
16 April 1938-May 1938, 1938.
Box 2 Folder 67
1939, 1939.
Box 2 Folder 68
February 1940-15 April 1940, 1940.
Box 2 Folder 69
16 April 1940-May 1940, 1940.
Box 2 Folder 70
February 1941-15 April 1941, 1941.
Box 2 Folder 71
16 April 1941-May 1941, 1941.
Box 3 Folder 1
February 1942-15 April 1942, 1942.
Box 3 Folder 2
16 April 1942-May 1942, 1942.
Box 3 Folder 3
1943, 1943.
Box 3 Folder 4
1951, 1951.
Box 3 Folder 5
Contracts, 1951.
Box 3 Folder 6
Press, 1951.
Box 3 Folder 7
Press Releases (1), 1951.
Box 3 Folder 8
Press Releases (2), 1951.
Box 3 Folder 9
Publications, 1950.
Box 3 Folder 10
Publications, 1951.
Box 3 Folder 11
Pennsylvania Day, 1951.
Box 3 Folder 12
Press and Photography Ticket Lists, 1933-1934.
Box 3 Folder 13
Publicity Department Budget, 1940-1950.
Box 3 Folder 14
R, 1949-1951.
Box 3 Folder 15
Radio and Television, 1950.
Box 3 Folder 16
Rifle, 1951.
Box 3 Folder 17
S, 1949-1950.
Box 3 Folder 18
Schedules, 1947-1950.
Box 3 Folder 19
Schedules and Season Records, 1946-1950.
Box 3 Folder 20
Soccer, 1948-1949.
Box 3 Folder 21
Specimen Letters, 1925-1933.
Box 3 Folder 22
Specimen Letters, 1934-1950.
Box 3 Folder 23
Squash, 1950-1951.
Box 3 Folder 24
Swimming, 1947-1951.
Box 3 Folder 25
Tennis, 1948-1950.
Box 3 Folder 26
Tennis, 1951.
Box 3 Folder 27
1946-1949, 1946-1949.
Box 3 Folder 28
1950, 1950.
Box 3 Folder 29
1951, 1951.
Box 3 Folder 30
Penn Opponents, 1951.
Box 3 Folder 31
U, 1950-1951.
Box 3 Folder 32
V, 1950-1951.
Box 3 Folder 33
W, 1949-1950.
Box 3 Folder 34
Wrestling, 1946-1949.
Box 3 Folder 35
Wrestling, 1949-1950.
Box 3 Folder 36
Wrestling, 1950-1951.
Box 3 Folder 37

June 1928, 1928.
Box 3 Folder 38
1 July 1935-15 October 1935, 1935.
Box 3 Folder 39
16 October 1935-31 December 1935, 1935.
Box 3 Folder 40
1 January 1936-15 March 1936, 1936.
Box 3 Folder 41
16 March 1936-30 June 1936, 1936.
Box 3 Folder 42
1 July 1936-31 October 1936, 1936.
Box 3 Folder 43
1 November 1936-31 December 1936, 1936.
Box 3 Folder 44
1 January 1937-15 March 1937, 1937.
Box 3 Folder 45
16 March 1937-30 June 1937, 1937.
Box 3 Folder 46
1 July 1937-31 October 1937, 1937.
Box 3 Folder 47
1 November 1937-31 December 1937, 1937.
Box 3 Folder 48
1 January 1938-31 March 1938, 1938.
Box 4 Folder 1
1 April 1938-30 June 1938, 1938.
Box 4 Folder 2
1 July 1938-31 October 1938, 1938.
Box 4 Folder 3
1 November 1938-31 December 1938, 1938.
Box 4 Folder 4
1 January 1939-31 March 1939, 1939.
Box 4 Folder 5
1 April 1939-30 June 1939, 1939.
Box 4 Folder 6
1 July 1939-31 October 1939, 1939.
Box 4 Folder 7
1 November 1939-31 December 1939, 1939.
Box 4 Folder 8
1 January 1940-29 February 1940, 1940.
Box 4 Folder 9
1 March 1940-30 April 1940, 1940.
Box 4 Folder 10
1 May 1940-30 June 1940, 1940.
Box 4 Folder 11
1 July 1940-31 October 1940, 1940.
Box 4 Folder 12
1 November 1940-31 December 1940, 1940.
Box 4 Folder 13
1 January 1941-31 March 1941, 1941.
Box 4 Folder 14
1 April 1941-30 June 1941, 1941.
Box 4 Folder 15
1 July 1941-30 September 1941, 1941.
Box 4 Folder 16
1 October 1941-31 December 1941, 1941.
Box 4 Folder 17
1 January 1942-15 March 1942, 1942.
Box 4 Folder 18
16 March 1942-30 June 1942, 1942.
Box 4 Folder 19
1 July 1942-31 October 1942, 1942.
Box 4 Folder 20
1 November 1942-31 December 1942, 1942.
Box 4 Folder 21
1 January 1943-28 February 1943, 1943.
Box 4 Folder 22
1 March 1943-30 June 1943, 1943.
Box 4 Folder 23
1 July 1943-30 September 1943, 1943.
Box 4 Folder 24
1 October 1943-31 December 1943, 1943.
Box 4 Folder 25
1 January 1944-31 March 1944, 1944.
Box 4 Folder 26
1 April 1944-30 June 1944, 1944.
Box 4 Folder 27
1 July 1944-15 October 1944, 1944.
Box 5 Folder 1
16 October 1944-31 December 1944, 1944.
Box 5 Folder 2
1 January 1945-31 March 1945, 1945.
Box 5 Folder 3
1 April 1945-30 June 1945, 1945.
Box 5 Folder 4
1 July 1945-15 October 1945, 1945.
Box 5 Folder 5
16 October 1945-31 December 1945, 1945.
Box 5 Folder 6
1 January 1946-31 March 1946, 1946.
Box 5 Folder 7
1 April 1946-30 June 1946, 1946.
Box 5 Folder 8
1 July 1946-31 October 1946, 1946.
Box 5 Folder 9
1 November 1946-31 December 1946, 1946.
Box 5 Folder 10
1 January 1947-15 March 1947, 1947.
Box 5 Folder 11
16 March 1947-30 April 1947, 1947.
Box 5 Folder 12
1 May 1947-31 August 1947, 1947.
Box 5 Folder 13
1 September 1947-31 December 1947, 1947.
Box 5 Folder 14
1 January 1948-30 April 1948, 1948.
Box 5 Folder 15
1 May 1948-30 September 1948, 1948.
Box 5 Folder 16
1 October 1948-31 December 1948, 1948.
Box 5 Folder 17
1 January 1949-31 March 1949, 1949.
Box 5 Folder 18
1 April 1949-30 June 1949, 1949.
Box 5 Folder 19
1 July 1949-31 December 1949, 1949.
Box 5 Folder 20
1 January 1950-15 April 1950, 1950.
Box 5 Folder 21
16 April 1950-31 August 1950, 1950.
Box 5 Folder 22
1 September 1950-31 October 1950, 1950.
Box 5 Folder 23
1 November 1950-30 November 1950, 1950.
Box 5 Folder 24
1 December 1950-31 December 1950, 1950.
Box 5 Folder 25
1 January 1951-31 January 1951, 1951.
Box 5 Folder 26
1 February 1951-27 February 1951, 1951.
Box 5 Folder 27
(1), 1 March 1951-1 June 1951.
Box 6 Folder 1
(2), 1 March 1951-1 June 1951.
Box 6 Folder 2
(3), 1 March 1951-1 June 1951.
Box 6 Folder 3

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