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By Amanda Mardis
Collection Overview
Scope and Contents of the Materials
This collection contains material related to Paul McBrayer's career as head basketball coach of Eastern Kentucky State College and years after, ca. 1940-2001. The majority of the collection contains correspondence from players who kept in touch with McBrayer over the decades. The collection also contains a variety of photographs of individual players, teams, and former players' families. Concerning McBrayer, there are newspaper articles, photographs, awards, correspondence, and memorabilia from him or relating to him.
Collection Historical Note
Paul McBrayer was born October 12, 1909 in Kavanaugh, KY. He attended Kavanaugh High School where he played basketball. In 1926 he started playing for the University of Kentucky where he was selected as an All-American in 1930.
His first coaching job was at Morton Junior High School; and the following year he went to Kavanaugh High School to coach for two years. In 1934, he became the assistant coach under Adolph Rupp at U.K. During WWII McBrayer left U.K. and served as a staff sergeant in the Army. Afterwards, when McBrayer went back to U.K., Rupp informed him there were no available staff positions. Soon afterwards, President O'Donnell of Eastern State College offered McBrayer the head coaching job.
At Eastern he accomplished more than any other coach before or for decades afterward. He brought the basketball team from the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to Division I basketball. He was the most winning basketball coach in Eastern history, with a 219 win, 144 loss record.
After retirement, both UK and EKU former players annually gathered for McBrayer Appreciation Days. A scholarship was named in his honor for Anderson County students, and in January 1989, the McBrayer Arena at Eastern's Alumni Coliseum was named in his honor.
In 1999, McBrayer died of cancer in Lexington, KY. (Information taken from a Lexington Herald-Leader article by John Clay and an article from The Anderson News by Rick Bailey, both can be found in the Paul McBrayer Newspaper Articles folder).
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives
Acquisition Source:
Donation from Kathryn McBrayer, wife of Paul McBrayer
Other Note:
Photographs were initially numbered with the accession number; however, a decision was made to change to collection number. The database was changed, but the numbers written on the images were not changed.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Box:
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Box 1],
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Box 2],
[Box 3],
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Box 4],
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Box 5],
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Box 6],
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Box 7],
[
Box 8: Awards and Memorabilia],
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Box 9: Oversize],
[
Item 1: Framed UK Photograph, 1996],
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All]
- Box 3
- Barcode: 31234014045585
- Folder 1: Bergen, Phil
- Contains a letter from McBrayer welcoming Bergen to the basketball program, a schedule for an unidentified semester, and a basketball publicity information sheet.
- Folder 2: Bergmann, Paul
- Contains a schedule for an unidentified semester, a basketball publicity information sheet, and a photo of Bergmann in a basketball uniform (2009A001-042).
- Folder 3: Bingham, Jim, 1954-1987
- Correspondence from the Bingham family and McBrayer; topics include personal news, basketball, job availability, prospective students, scouting, invitation to a graduation at Centre College, National Honor Society program, and Crecent Women's Medical Group card. In basketball, a schedule for Russell County High School 1958-59, points Bingham scored in each game from 1950-53, and Tip-Off Club sheet. Newspaper clippings. Photos include 2009A001-043-048.
- Folder 4: Blair, David, 1956-1960
- Correspondence between Blair and McBrayer; topics include personal news, the Air Force, and basketball. Eastern freshmen basketball schedule for 1959-60, a class schedule for an unidentified semester, and a basketball publicity information sheet. Photo of Blair in Eastern basketball uniform (2009A001-049).
- Folder 5: Boldon, William, 1958
- Contains correspondence between Boldon and McBrayer; topics include Eastern admission and a basketball scholarship. Also includes a
- Folder 6: Boone, Harold, 1958-1959
- Correspondence from Boone and McBrayer; topics include Eastern application and basketball scholarship. Class schedules and academic standings. Two basketball publicity information sheets.
- Folder 7: Bowles, Joe, 1959
- Correspondence from Bowles and McBrayer; topics the Bowles estate,
- Folder 8: Brandenburg, Carter, 1957-1958
- Contains correspondence from Brandenburg and McBrayer; topics include Eastern admission and basketball scholarship. Three class schedules for 1960-61. Basketball publicity information sheet. Photo of Brandenburg playing golf (2009A001-059).
- Folder 9: Brooks, Jack, 1955
- Contains 1 letter each from Brooks and McBrayer concerning Brooks leaving school. Class schedule for unidentified semester and a basketball publicity information sheet. Photos include 2009A001-060-062.
- Folder 10: Brock, J.D., 1954-1956
- Correspondence from Brock and McBrayer; topics include grades and prospective players. Class schedule and list of books for an unidentified semester. Data for players card, basketball publicity information sheet, and eligibility certificate for the O.V.C. Photos include 2009A001-063-071.
- Folder 11: Brown, Johnny
- Contains a class schedule for an unidentified semester.
- Folder 12: Butler, Virgil, 1957-1959
- Correspondence from Butler and McBrayer; topics include job recommendations and a basketball banquet. A basketball publicity information sheet and summary sheet of basketball career. Class schedule and list of books for an unidentified semester. Newspaper clipping of Butler. Photos include 2009A001-072-077.
- Folder 13: Callahan, John, 1957-1995
- Correspondence from Callahan and McBrayer; topics include a basketball scholarship, academic standing, basketball,
- Folder 14: Cole, Carl, 1957-1986
- Correspondence from Cole, McBrayer, and others; topics include Eastern admission, basketball scholarship, Syracuse Nationals NBA team, awards, and personal news. Class schedules (1960-61), and academic standings (1957-58). Three copies of an article about Cole written by Don Feltner for WHAS. Cumulative basketball scoring record and other statistics from 1958-61. Player information sheets and basketball publicity information sheet. Newspaper clippings of Cole's basketball career. Photos include 2009A001-083-085.
- Folder 15: Coleman, Bobby, 1951-1989
- Contains correspondence from Coleman and McBrayer; topics include basketball, job recommendation, and personal news. Photos include 2009A001-086-087.
- Folder 16: Collins, Paul
- Contains two basketball publicity information sheets and a data for players card. Collins' wedding invitation. Photos include 2009A001-088-093.
- Folder 17: Coy, Hugh
- Contains an information sheet on the basketball career of Coy. A class schedule for an unidentified semester and an address card.
- Folder 18: Crosbie, Ronald, 1957-1987
- Contains letters from Crosbie to McBrayer; topics include personal news, work and reunion. Also contains a class schedule and a report card for 1959.
- Folder 19: Culbertson, Dick, 1952-1958
- Correspondence from McBrayer, and others; topics include Dick leaving school and a job recommendation. Several sheets of player information including an index card, personal data sheet, data for players card, and four copies of a summary sheet. A class schedule and book list of unidentified semester. Photos include 2009A001-094-096.
- Folder 20: Dalton, Ernest, 1960-1961
- Contains one letter from McBrayer about the start of basketball practice. Two schedules for both semesters for the school year of 1960-61.
- Folder 21: Davis, Jimmie, 1957-1959
- Contains correspondence from Davis to McBrayer; topics include Army boot camp, basketball, and personal news.
- Folder 22: Davis, Kenny, 1951-1987
- Correspondence from Davis to McBrayer; topics include basketball eligibility, academic work, job availability, personal news, and a letter from Davis' son-in-law about the opening of his law firm. Class schedule and book list. Basketball publicity information sheet and a Tip-Off Club sheet. Photos include 2009A001-097-100.
- Folder 23: DeForest, James, 1960-1961
- Contains two letters from McBrayer to DeForest, both about starting the basketball seasons of 1960 and 1961. Two class schedules for the school year of 1960-61. Index cards containing grades and addresses.
- Folder 24: Disponett. Bobby
- Contains two basketball publicity information sheets. Photos include 2009A001-101-103.
- Folder 25: Doherty, Alan
- Contains a basketball publicity information sheet and a photo (2009A001-104).
- Folder 26: Duncan, Paul, 1952-1995
- Correspondence from Duncan and McBrayer; topics include sports, personal news, and prospective players. Newspaper clippings about Duncan. Photos include 2009A001-105-108.
Browse by Box:
[
Box 1],
[
Box 2],
[Box 3],
[
Box 4],
[
Box 5],
[
Box 6],
[
Box 7],
[
Box 8: Awards and Memorabilia],
[
Box 9: Oversize],
[
Item 1: Framed UK Photograph, 1996],
[
All]
