Press Whelan papers
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Press Whelan papers
- Date
- 1895-2013 (inclusive)
- 1967-1973 (bulk)
- Creator
- Whelan, Press
- Extent
- 0.45 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- College sports -- Kentucky
- Track and field -- United States
- Track and field athletes -- Photographs.
- Track and field coaches -- United States
- Arrangement
- Collection retains its original order. Where possible original folder names were retained.
- Preferred Citation
- 2020ua005 : [identification of item], Press Whelan papers, 1895-2013, bulk 1967-1973, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Press Whelan is a Kentucky track athlete and coach. He was born on March 12, 1938, in New Haven, Kentucky. He was an outstanding high school (St. Joseph's Prepatory School, Louisville, Ky.) and college (University of Kentucky, UK) track athlete, setting a Southeastern Conference (SEC) cross country track record 4.4 miles in 1957. He was two-time UK SEC Indoor/Outdoor track champion, 1960, and a national champion in the 2-Man 10 Mile Relay in 1958. He obtained his BA and MA degrees from UK in 1961 and 1965 respectively. After graduating from college, he began his coaching career, starting with the UK freshman track team (1961); the DuPont Manual High School track team (1961-1962); and assistant (1962-1965) and head (1967-1973) track coach at UK. As coach at UK, he took the track program from 0 points in the SEC in 1967 to 6th place in 1968 to 2nd place in 1971. The team were the SEC Cross Country champions in 1970 (breaking an eight-year University of Tennessee winning streak). Four team members were Olympic trial performers and one team member competed in two Olympic games in 1964 and 1968. From 1967-1971, Whelan also recruited and coached Jim Green, the first UK black track athlete to earn a degree from UK and to win National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and SEC Championships. Whelan was a promoter of track and field. He developed the Kentucky Relays from 300 athletes and 26 schools in 1964 to 1400 athletes and 120 schools in 1973. He organized and directed the 1969 United States Track and Field Federation Championships at UK that spring. Whelan also coached internationally, in Turkey and Lebanon in 1966 as an American Specialist for the US Department of State, and in 1969 in Ecuador as a Kentucky member of the Partners of the Americas program. Whelan left UK in 1973 to head the National Junior Pro Basketball Association. As a senior track athlete, he has competed in three Senior Olympics in 1999, 2001, and 2007, and qualified for the 2011 Senior Olympics. He won the Georgia 800 and 1500 meter age group in 1999, 2001, 2008, and 2009. Whelan is married to Phyllis Whelan.
- Scope and Content
- The Press Whelan papers (dated 1895-2013, bulk 1967-1973; 0.45 cubic feet, 1 box) comprise photographs, brochures and programs, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and biographical information primarily documenting Press Whelan's track and field coaching activities at the University of Kentucky (UK) from 1967 to 1973. Includes correspondence regarding the UK track program budget, expenses, and budget projections (1967-1973); newspaper clippings, correspondence, and a report regarding Whelan's international coaching in Ecuador, Turkey, and Lebanon, 1966 and 1969; UK Track and Field brochures (1970-1972) and team photographs (1958, 1960, 1970); and programs, brochures, correspondence, and technical notes for several track and field meets, including the US Track and Field Federation National Outdoor Championship held at UK (1969). the Kentucky Relays meets at UK (1968-1973); the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Track and Field Championship (1971, 1973), the Olympic Torch Relay from Lexington to Frankfort (1963); and the first and only Kentucky Federation Indoor Championship at UK (1963). Also includes resumes, photographs of Whelan as a track athlete (1958-1959) and early in his coaching career with Mihaly Igloi, one of his coaches (1967), and a DVD of his speech at his induction into the University of Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment
- Use Restrictions
- Property rights reside with the University of Kentucky. The University of Kentucky holds the copyright for materials created in the course of business by University of Kentucky employees. Copyright for all other materials has not been assigned to the University of Kentucky. For information about permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Special Collections Research Center.
Contents of the Collection
Biographical information (includes DVD of speech at UK Athletic Hall of Fame induction, 2013), 1967-2013
Photograph, Kentucky cross country team with game football run from Knoxville to Lexington for the UK vs TN game, 1967 Nov.
Photograph, Sid Smith pole vault (9 feet, 7 inches) for a new State College record, 1895 June 1
Photographs, two color aerial images of UK athletics training facilities, approximately 1960
Photographs and telegram regarding Whelan training in Calif. with Mihaly Igloi, former Hungarian Olympic coach (1958-1959), and Igloi coming to Mason Dixon Games in Louisville, KY (1967), 1958-1967
Letters to Whelan from Otis Singletary (1969), Ruth Shively (1969), and Adolph Rupp (1973), 1969-1973
Newspaper clippings regarding Whelan coaching in Ecuador, part of the Kentucky Partners of the Alliance, 1969 July
Newspaper clippings, correspondence, and report regarding Whelan coaching in Turkey and Lebanon as part of the American Specialist Program, US Department of State, 1966
UK Track and Field brochures, 1970-1972
Correspondence, program, and Ky. governor proclamation for the US Track and Field Federation National Outdoor Championships held at UK, 1969 June-Juley
Programs, technical notes, clipping, photographs, and correspondence regarding Kentucky Relays meets at UK, 1968-1973
Photographs: UK Cross Country teams (1958 includes Whelan and his brother), 1958, 1960, 1970
Newspaper clipping and photograph regarding Jesse Owens visit and talk for UK Spring Sports Banquet, 1969
Newspaper clipping regarding plans to grant varsity status to women sports at UK, 1975 Aug. 15
Newspaper clipping regarding Southeastern Conference (SEC) racial integration, 1967 May 21
Correspondence regarding SEC Track and Field Championship (1971) and Rules Committee (1973), 1971-1973
Newspaper clipping and meet information for first and only Kentucky Federation Indoor Championships in Memorial Coliseum, 1963
Letter to Whelan from David A. Espie, Kentucky State Police, referencing the relay of the Olympic Torch from Lexington to Frankfort, 1963
Correspondence regarding track program budget, expenses, and budget projections, 1967-1973
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Table of Contents
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UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
