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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],
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Box 4],
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Box 5],
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Box 6],
[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 7
- Barcode: 31234014045445
- Folder 1: Paul McBrayer Newspaper Articles
- Contains numerous articles chronicling the career and life of Paul McBrayer throughout the years.
- Folder 2: Unidentified letters and pictures
- Contains letters and pictures with only first or last names and have not been identified. Photos include 2009A001-330-340.
- Folder 3: General Correspondence
- Contains letters from non-players, including Joe Dunlap, Kenny and Linda Roy, Estus Kendall, Dayna Lynn Daniel, Adrain G. Back Jr., Dr. Donald Crosbie, and Ed Adams and family. Picture of Clay Motley (2009A001-341).
- Folder 4: Fishing, 1955
- Contains a Kentucky
- Folder 5: McBrayer Arena
- Letters about the arena including, three copies of the EKU National Alumni Association Resolution to name the basketball arena after Paul McBrayer; congratulations from Donald Feltner and President Hanley Funderburk; and replies from McBrayer about the dedication. Copy of the plaque of Paul McBrayer that is in the arena. Newspaper clippings on the dedication of McBrayer Arena. Photos include 2009A001-003; 2009A001-346-360.
- Folder 6: Anderson County Paul McBrayer Scholarships
- Two thank you notes about the scholarship and a newsletter concerning donations to the scholarship fund. Also several newspaper clippings on the scholarship fund and award receivers.
- Folder 7: University of Kentucky McBrayer Reunions, 1968-1999
- Correspondence, flyers, etc. about various U.K. McBrayer reunions, years include 1968, 1975-77, 1979, 1981-83, 1985-89, 1991-92, 1994-99, along with unidentified years. A salute to Paul McBrayer in a K-Men's sheet and UK sign.
- Folder 8: Eastern Kentucky University McBrayer Reunions, 1960-2001
- Correspondence, flyers, brochures, guest list, etc. about various E.K.U. McBrayer reunions, years include 1960-61, 1967, 1973, 1986-97, 1999, 2001, along with unidentified years. Also a copy of an article by Paul McBrayer, copy of a map of Richmond from 1958, and newspaper clippings of reunions. Photos include 2009A001-004-006; 2009A001-361-376.
- Folder 9: General Pictures of McBrayer
- Contains various pictures and one cartoon of McBrayer over the years. Photos include 2009A001-001-002; 2009A001-007; 2009A001-377-388.
- Folder 10: Sports Booklets, 1947-1954
- Contains the Music Hall Arena Tournament booklet (December 13, 1947), two E.K.S.C. Basketball programs 1953-1954, (1953-54 signed by players), Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Banquet 1986, and O.V.C. 50 Year Conference.
- Folder 11: Paul McBrayer Appreciation Day Scrapbook, 1973
- The following was originally in a scrapbook, but kept in the folder in the original sequence as the scrapbook. The majority of the scrapbook contains letters about the appreciation day, along with some newspaper articles and photos about some senders. Photos include 2009A001-389-421.
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]
