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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],
[Box 2],
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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],
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Box 8: Awards and Memorabilia],
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Box 9: Oversize],
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Item 1: Framed UK Photograph, 1996],
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All]
- Box 2
- Barcode: 31234014045593
- Folder 1: Personal Correspondence, Well Wishes, 1959-1960
- Contains correspondence on the success of the Eastern basketball team, specifically for the O.V.C. championship.
- Folder 2: Personal Correspondence, Basketball General Business, 1959-1960
- Contains correspondence concerning general business in the Eastern basketball program. Topics include job availability, schedules, current and prospective players, receipts, tickets, and invitations. Also includes letters concerning an incident at a Western game where McBrayer took his team off the court.
- Folder 3: Personal Correspondence, McBrayer As Recipient, 1959-1960
- Contains 29 letters from various senders. Topics include games, friends and family, fishing, prospective students, speaking engagements, schedules, scouting, Lexington Country Club, and the Boy Scouts of America.
- Folder 4: Personal Correspondence, General Correspondence, 1959-1960
- Contains correspondence concerning personal news. Topics include fishing and hunting, UK Alumni Association, travel, banquets, and the
- Folder 5: Personal Correspondence, Well Wishes, 1960-1961
- Contains correspondence on the success of the Eastern basketball team, specifically for the win over Louisville and McBrayer's 200th win.
- Folder 6: Personal Correspondence, Basketball General Business, 1960-1961
- Contains correspondence on general business in the Eastern basketball program. Topics include 7 letters from players to McBrayer describing what they had done wrong during a game against Georgetown, banquets, receipt, and game information.
- Folder 7: Personal Correspondence, McBrayer As Recipient, 1960-1961
- Contains 10 letters from various senders. Topics include prospective players, advice on how to handle McBrayer, fund raising, request to write articles, television appearances, how to stop gambling in basketball, fishing, and job availability.
- Folder 8: Personal Correspondence, General Correspondence, 1960-1961
- Contains 2 letters, 2 maps, an invitation, and envelope. Topics include fishing and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. The map is of Richmond, KY dated May 9, 1958, and the other is of northern Kentucky with adjoining territories, reprinted from 1794. The envelope could not be matched to a letter.
- Folder 9: Prospective Players, Correspondence B-H, 1957-1958
- Contains 24 letters to prospective players, some contain the original letter of inquiry. Players include George Bell, Ronald Carmichael, Bobby Carter (includes newspaper clipping), Jack Craig, Harold Daniel, Tommy Daniels, Willis Drumm, Gary Fraley, Dale Griffith, Keith Hall, Donnie Hillock (includes newspaper clipping), Bobby Hinds, Everett Horn Jr., and Robert Howard.
- Folder 10: Prospective Players, Correspondence J-O, 1957-1958
- Contains 18 letters to prospective players, some contain the original letter of inquiry. Players include William Jackson, Terry Leitchfield, Billy Levine, Richard Longbons, Ladel McFadden, Bob Mattscheck, ? Maureau, Charles Morgan, Gene Nicholson, Floyd Norton, and Walter Owens.
- Folder 11: Prospective Players, Correspondence P-W, 1957-1958
- Contains 19 letters to prospective players, some contain the original letter of inquiry. Players include Charles Parks, Troy Perry, James Plummer, Billy Purcell, Fred Reinke, Matthew Scodellaro, Gene Smith, Ronnie Sutton, Larry Taylor, Ronald Taylor, Kenny Williams, and Carmen Wright. One letter at the end mentions several players, including Charles Morgan, Robert Howard, Don Taylor, and James Plummer. Also includes a list of players' height and weight, and another card lists some players and their hometowns.
- Folder 12: Prospective Players, McBrayer As Recipient, 1957-1958
- Contains letters from various senders concerning prospective players. Players discussed include Jim Mahlmeister, Larry McCracken, Bill Elliott, Dave
- Folder 13: Prospective Players, Jim Mitchell Correspondence, 1957-1958
- Contains 6 letters from Jim Mitchell to prospective players. People include Coach Marvin Meredith, John Doniger, John Laurent, Carl Reynolds, Tom Booker, and Terry Leitchfield.
- Folder 14: Prospective Players, Application Information, 1957-1958
- Contains 10 prospective players application, personal history, and/or credits. Players include David Butler, Donald Carroll, Jack Craig, William Drumm, William Goedde, Ned Jennings, Donald McKenzie, Harold Napier, Ardith Ross, and Charles Sydenstricker.
- Folder 15: Adams, Jack, 1955-1977
- Correspondence from Jack Adams and Paul McBrayer; topics include the Army, New York Knickerbockers, basketball, and Greg Adams. Papers relating to school and Eastern basketball. A Cleveland Pipers Basketball 1960-1961 Press-Radio-TV Guide. Wedding program and invitation of Stacey Renee Adams' wedding. Pamphlet and booklet from the Greg Adams Building dedication. Newspaper clippings about Jack Adams, Greg Adams, Stacey Adams, and grandchildren. Photos include 2009A001-15-23.
- Folder 16: Allison, Roy, 1956-1959
- Correspondence from Roy Allison and Paul McBrayer; topics include the birth of a son, banquet tickets, and job recommendations. Eastern basketball publicity information sheet and the Tip-Off Club sheet. Two cards, one for the birth of James Dale Allison and Roy Allison's freshmen basketball schedule. Newspaper clipping of Allison's engagement. Photos include 2009A001-024-026.
- Folder 17: Armstrong, Glenn
- Contains Eastern basketball publicity information sheet.
- Folder 18: Baechtold, Jim, 1956-1986
- Correspondence from Jim Baechtold and Paul McBrayer; topics include college and professional basketball, scouting, and jobs. Notes taken from P.E. 360 on Baechtold's basketball games. Proposed schedules for Eastern from 1958-1961. Newspaper clippings of Baechtold. Photos include 2009A001-13-14; 2009A001-027.
- Folder 19: Baker, James E.
- Contains a letter concerning the basketball banquet to be held at the Monticello School, when Baker was the Superintendent.
- Folder 20: Baker, Ralph
- Contains the application for admission and personal history to apply at Eastern. Also letters from Baker and McBrayer concerning attending Eastern and basketball tryouts.
- Folder 21: Bales, Bill, 1952-1955
- Correspondence from Bales and McBrayer; topics include admittance to and about the Marine Corps and basketball. Basketball publicity information and statistics (1948-1952). Announcement of the birth of Robert Kevin Bales. Photos include 2009A001-028-029.
- Folder 22: Bales, Don, 1953-1961
- Correspondence from Bales and McBrayer; topics include recommendations for employment to various schools, personal news, basketball in general, basketball scholarship while getting his Master's (including a letter from Robert R. Martin). Class schedules and Tip-Off Club sheet. Basketball schedule for Munfordville High School, 1959. Newspaper clipping of the wedding of Elizabeth Wiseman and David Bales, son of Don Bales. Photos include 2009A001-030-031.
- Folder 23: Ballenger, Brad, 1958-1980
- Contains correspondence from Ballenger and McBrayer; topics include basketball, school, Christmas card, and the birth of his two children. Class schedules from 1960-61. Three cards with Ballenger's different addresses. Photos include 2009A001-032-034.
- Folder 24: Baxter, Bill, 1958-1959
- Two letters from Ballenger and McBrayer; topics include job availability, and well wishes to McBrayer's team. Data for players card, basketball publicity information sheet, and Tip-Off Club sheet.
- Folder 25: Becker, Gerald, 1959-1961
- Contains three letters from Becker and McBrayer, on prospective players. Newspaper clipping of Becker and family. Photos include 2009A001-035-041.
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]
