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J. W. "Spider" Thurman Papers

Overview

Scope and Contents

Biographical Note

Administrative Information

Detailed Description

Box 1

Correspondence

Correspondence - Telegrams

Ephemera

Kentucky High School Athletic Association Programs

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Title: J. W. "Spider" Thurman Papers, 1936-1959

Primary Creator: Thurman, James Wyatt

Extent: 0.22 Cubic Feet

Date Acquired: 04/30/1980

Subjects: Basketball coaches., Clay County High School (Ky.)--Basketball., College football players--Kentucky., Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College (1930-1948)--Football., Eastern Kentucky University--Alumni and alumnae., Eastern Kentucky University--Faculty and staff.

Languages: English

These papers document the athletic career of James Wyatt "Spider" Thurman through his college career at Eastern Kentucky University and as basketball coach at Clay County High School through scrapbooks, programs, and personal correspondence.

James W. 'Spider' Thurman was born in 1917 in Dayton, Tennessee, the son of a coal miner. He grew up in Benham, Harlan County, Kentucky from age seven and was given his nickname  after being bitten by a spider as a child in Benham. Thurman set high school records in football, basketball and track, earning state, regional and district honors from 1934 through 1936. Thurman elected to attend Eastern Kentucky State College to play for Coach Rome Rankin. At Eastern, he directed the Maroons football team as quarterback to two Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and was named to the All-KIAC team three years and to the Little All-American football team in 1940 after leading his teams to the first undefeated and untied season in history. At Eastern he also lettered in basketball and track. He received a B.S. degree in 1941 and MA from EKU in 1952. He entered the US Army Air Corps in 1943 and served in India and Burma during the War. He was discharged from active duty as a Captain and retired from the Army Reserves as a Major. Following his military career, he began coaching at Clay County High School, where his basketball teams compiled a record of 279-54 during his twelve years as coach. He took his teams to the Kentucky State Tournament six times. He returned to Eastern in 1962, becoming its first permanent Director of Alumni Affairs and continued in that position until he retired in 1983.

Repository: Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

Acquisition Source: Thurman, J. W.