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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],
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Box 3],
[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],
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Item 1: Framed UK Photograph, 1996],
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All]
- Box 4
- Barcode: 31234014045411
- Folder 1: Eagle, Carl, 1950-1959
- Correspondence from Eagle and McBrayer; topics include sports, prospective players, personal news, and job recommendations. Index cards of Eagle basketball statistics from 1947-51. Tip-Off Club sheet. Copy of a remembrance section for Eagle from an unidentified book.
- Folder 2: English, Rex, 1960-1961
- Contains a letter from McBrayer about English's term report and a postcard from English giving his new address. Class schedules for the school year of 1960-61. Basketball cumulative scoring record for the 1958-59 season. Basketball publicity information sheet for his freshmen year. Photos include 2009A001-109-115.
- Folder 3: Estepp, Philip, 1957-1961
- Contains correspondence from Estepp and McBrayer; topics include basketball scholarships, academic records, invitation to Jane Estepp's graduation, and job recommendations. Class schedules for the school year of 1960-61. Basketball cumulative scoring record for the 1958-59 season. Two examination books and a basketball composition notebook for P.E. 360. Basketball publicity information sheet. Newspaper clipping. Photos include 2009A001-116-121.
- Folder 4: Florence, Bill
- A class schedule and book list for unidentified semester, basketball publicity information sheet, eligibility certificate for the O.V.C.. Photos include 2009A001-122-125.
- Folder 5: Floyd, Jim
- Job recommendation for Floyd, and a letter from Floyd to McBrayer about planning a reunion, wedding invitation. Data for players card, two basketball publicity information sheets, and Tip-Off Club sheet. The Kentuckiana College All-Star Basketball Series book from 1955. Newspaper clipping of the Mt. Sterling Trojans basketball team. Photos include 2009A001-126-128.
- Folder 6: Francis, George
- Data for players card and basketball publicity information sheet. A letter asking for a job recommendation from employer. Photos include 2009A001-129-130.
- Folder 7: Fraley, Harold
- Two letters from Fraley and McBrayer; topics include Eastern admission and making the color guard. Schedule for unidentified semester. Basketball publicity information sheet, summary sheet of basketball career, and data for players card. Photos include 2009A001-131-136.
- Folder 8: Franks, Robert
- Basketball publicity information and a class schedule for unidentified semester. Photo of Franks (2009A001-137).
- Folder 9: Fryz, Joe, 1951-1958
- Correspondence from Fryz and McBrayer; topics include job recommendations, basketball, and well wishes. Photo of Fryz (2009A001-138).
- Folder 10: Gardner, Ray, 1957-1961
- Correspondence from Gardner and McBrayer; topics include basketball recommendation, scholarship, and academic standing. Index card of grades for second semester of 1960-61. Class schedules for the school year of 1960-61. Basketball publicity information sheet. Photo of Gardner (2009A001-139).
- Folder 11: Gay, Bob
- Basketball publicity information sheet and a class schedule for an unidentified semester.
- Folder 12: Geyer, Roger, 1951-1956
- Correspondence from Geyer and McBrayer; topics include injuries, personal news, basketball, well wishes, job recommendations, and summary of one of Geyer's teams he coached. Basketball publicity information sheet. Newspaper clippings of Geyer and Nancy Stratton. Photos include 2009A001-140-142.
- Folder 13: Grigsby, Fred
- Letter from Grigsby and reply from McBrayer about coming to school at Eastern. Basketball publicity information sheet. Photo of Grigsby (2009A001-143).
- Folder 14: Haney, Paul, 1951-1960
- Correspondence from Haney and McBrayer; topics include recommendations, personal news, basketball, job availability, and letter of introduction. Two basketball publicity information sheets and Tip-Off Club sheet. Newspaper clipping of Haney. Photos include 2009A001-144-146.
- Folder 15: Harper, Joe, 1952-1960
- Correspondence from Harper to McBrayer; topics include personal news, basketball, prospective players, banquets, well wishes, and an invitation to a wedding. Three index cards with statistics from 1947-51. Tip-Off Club sheet. Newspaper clippings of Harper over the years. Photos include 2009A001-147-149.
- Folder 16: Hicks, Paul, 1946-1952
- Correspondence from Hicks and McBrayer; topics include basketball and prospective students. Index cards with statistics from 1946-50. Photo of Hicks (2009A001-150).
- Folder 17: Holbrook, Tom, 1955-1960
- Correspondence from Holbrook and McBrayer from , topics include personal news, basketball, reunions, job recommendations, and prospective players. Two leaflets for the funeral of Holbrook. A Kentuckiana All-Start Basketball Series booklet. Two basketball publicity information sheets and Tip-Off Club sheet. Photos include 2009A001-151-152.
- Folder 18: Hudnall, Lloyd
- Index card with address. Photo of Hudnall (2009A001-153).
- Folder 19: Jemley, Frank, 1957-1960
- Correspondence from Jemley and McBrayer; topics include job recommendations and well wishes. Baby announcement. Index card with address. Newspaper clipping.
- Folder 20: Kearns, Shirley, 1950-1959
- Correspondence from Kearns and McBrayer; topics include well wishes and job recommendations. Index cards of statistics from 1950-53. Tip-Off Club sheet. Newspaper clippings of Kearns. Photo of Kearns (2009A001-008).
- Folder 21: Kepler, Karl, 1952-1958
- Correspondence from Kepler and McBrayer; topics include basketball, prospective players, and well wishes. Player information from a McBrayer reunion form and Tip-Off Club sheet.
- Folder 22: Kiser, Jim, 1957-1961
- Correspondence from Kiser and McBrayer; topics include basketball, personal news, and the military. Class schedule and book list for unidentified semester. Player information sheet and basketball publicity information sheet. Newspaper clippings of Kiser. Photos include 2009A001-154-162.
- Folder 23: Kordenbrock, Afton
- Contains one letter from McBrayer concerning tickets for a basketball game.
- Folder 24: Kotula, Bernie, 1958-1961
- Correspondence from Kotula and McBrayer; topics include academics, job recommendations, personal news, prospective players, and well wishes. Small sheet of player information, basketball publicity information sheet, and a basketball cumulative scoring record. Two class schedules and book list for unidentified semesters. Two index cards for student term reports. Newspaper clipping of Kotula. Photos include 2009A001-163-168 and 2009A001-178.
- Folder 25: Lovington, Larry
- A thank you letter from Lovington to McBrayer. Two publicity information sheets.
- Folder 26: Martin, Jennings
- A basketball publicity information sheet. Photos include 2009A001-169-172.
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]
