Sports Collections

Subject Listing:
Sports

Allis, Louis, 1866-1890.
Papers, 1843-1950.
Milwaukee Micro Collection 71
Personal papers, mainly 1883-1938, of a member of a prominent Milwaukee family and president of the Louis Allis Company. The collection consists almost entirely of outgoing personal letters, although occasional items relate to financial investments, real estate management, and oversight of the Mechanical Appliance Co. (the forerunner of the Louis Allis Company). Only scattered letters relate to the E. P. Allis Co. or to Allis family interests in its successor company, the Allis-Chalmers Company. A large portion of the personal correspondence concerns Allis’ first wife Carol Yates (from whom he was divorced in 1907); the rearing and education of their son, Edward P. Allis III; the management of the Louis Allis home; golf and other recreational activities; the beginning of the Milwaukee Country Club; the purchase and maintenance of automobiles; and the lives of other members of the Allis and Yates families. Six scrapbooks document the family’s interest in golf, with scattered items relating to the E. P. Allis and Louis Allis companies, and the extended family. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Bender, Walter Henry, 1879-1966.
Papers, 1913-1966.
Milwaukee Manuscript Collection EA
Papers of a Milwaukee County civic leader. Most of the collection relates to the Milwaukee County Park Commission, of which Bender was president from 1948-1965; including files on the building of expressways on county park lands, the development of park programs, the reorganization of the commission in the 1950s, and contracts with the Milwaukee Braves baseball team. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Forgotten Champs: The 1944 Milwaukee Chicks Oral History Project, The.
Records, 1995.
UWM Manuscript Collection 106
Collection contains transcripts and audio recordings of former member of the Milwaukee Chicks baseball team, conducted as part of a 1995 Oral History course at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The interviews include information on the player's personal history and background, joining the All-American Girls Baseball League, impressions of playing, contracts, uniforms, life on the road, social engagements, the role of women in World War II, and other members of the Chicks. Players interviewed were Thelma Eisen, Viola Griffin, Dorothy Hunter, Vivian Sheriffs, Sylvia Straka, and Alma Ziegler. The Milwaukee Chicks played only one season in the League (1944), won the championship, and then moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Kwasniewski, Roman B. J., 1886-1980.
Photographs, 1907-1947.
UWM Manuscript Collection 19
Kwasniewski was a photographer who worked in Milwaukee's Polish American community (Polonia). Most of the pictures were created by Kwasniewski at his Park Studio in Milwaukee. Most of the photographic images depict family events such as anniversaries, first communions, funerals, graduations, and weddings. Kwasniewski did, however, also photograph a variety of sporting activities. These prints consist of individual, team, and action photographs of baseball, basketball, bowling, gymnastics, football, track and field, and other competitive sports and activities. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce.
Records, 1915-1964.
Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 14
Consists primarily of an extensive run of minutes of the board of directors (1915-1964), and scattered throughout the files are minutes of the executive committee, with minutes of the finance and other committees and of general membership committees. The minutes illustrate the history of the Association and document its political endorsements and its efforts to promote revised tax structures, energy policy, civic planning, school desegregation, public transportation, World War II relief, youth job programs, and professional sports. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Milwaukee Curling Club.
Records, 1947-1992.
UWM Manuscript Collection 69
Records of an organization (mainly 1969-1977) dedicated to sponsoring and managing events and teams involved in the sport of curling. The collection documents the administration of committees, the design and construction of a new curling facility in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, and relations with the Ozaukee Country Club. Also included are copies of North American Curling News, yearbooks of club members, records of the Klties (women's branch of the Club), a history of the club written in 1981, and photographs of banquets and tournament winners. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Milwaukee Does.
Scrapbooks, 1978-1980.
UWM Manuscript Collection 178 and PH Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 178
Scrapbooks of the Milwaukee Does, a women's professional basketball team affiliated with the Women's Basketball League, consisting of news clippings and photographs. As one of the first professional female sports teams, the Does were seldom taken seriously by the general public, and these attitudes were exacerbated by the team's consistently poor performance on the court. In the summer of 1980, in an effort to improve their image, they developed a new logo and renamed the team the Milwaukee Express. However, the team was disbanded before the 1980-1981 season. The clippings highlight the team's struggles to be competitive while the photographs consist of snapshots of various games in which they played. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Milwaukee Turners.
Records, 1852-1944.
Milwaukee Manuscript Collection BM
Records of the Milwaukee Turners, a social and political organization. Includes correspondence (1928-1936); financial reports (1928-1932); printed histories; minutes of the recording secretary (1855-1944), the financial secretary (1855-1934), and the corresponding secretary (1854-1959). Finding aid available in the Archives.

Milwaukee (Wis.). Mayor.
Records of the Henry W. Maier Administration, 1960-1988.
Milwaukee Series 44
Collection includes the official records of the Maier administration, including audio tapes, correspondence, memorabilia, memoranda, reports, and speeches. Most of the records were created by Maier's office staff, especially Richard J. Budelman, Bradley Carr, Bert Mulroy, and Robert J. Welch. A few records, mostly from city offices, dating 1959-1960, can also be found in the collection. The majority of the sports-related records detail the departure of the Braves, the arrival of the Brewers, and the founding of the Milwaukee Bucks franchise in Milwaukee.

Polish Falcons of America. Nest 725 (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Records, 1916-1980.
Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 60 and Milwaukee Micro Collection 30
Records of a Milwaukee affiliate of the Polish Falcons of America (Sokolstwo Polskie w Ameryce), organized on the north side in 1916 to encourage physical fitness and training, cultural activities, and other youth and civic programs. Included are two volumes of microfilmed minutes in Polish (1916-1926), of both the men's organization and the women's auxiliary; anniversary programs and histories; several district convention and bowling programs; and newsclippings. Also contains a minute book of Nest 755, the girls junior nest allied with Nest 725. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Polish Falcons of America. Nest 755 (Milwaukee, Wis.).
Minute Book, 1919-1926.
Milwaukee Micro Collection 31
Minute book of a chapter (Sokolstwo Polskie w Ameryce) for young girls of an organization that encouraged physical training and cultural betterment; during the early years of the group, members competed in local and regional military drill rallies. In 1927 Nest 755 merged with Nest 725.

Polish Falcons of America. Nest 786 (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Records, 1931-1979.
Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 59
Records of a Milwaukee affiliate of the Polish Falcons of America (Sokolstwo Polskie w Ameryce), organized in 1910 to encourage physical training, gymnastics, and military training. The collection includes a volume of dues records, listing names of members (1932-1947); a cash book (1932-1967); a volume of receipts and disbursements (1931-1953); and miscellaneous materials regarding Nest 786. Also present are copies of minutes of District II of the Falcons and of national conventions. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Rainovic, Albert R., 1922-1992.
Papers, 1948-1987.
UWM Manuscript Collection 43.
Collection contains over 600 pieces of original artwork, as well as correspondence and news clippings, of a sports cartoonist for the Milwaukee Journal and Milwaukee Sentinel newspapers. Many of the original artworks contain drawings of several individuals. Most of the drawings date from the mid 1950s to mid 1970s. Some of the stars portrayed are Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Liz Blackbourn, Ty Cobb, Dizzy Dean, Mike Ditka, George Halas, Vince Lombardi, Eddie Mathews, Micky Mantle, "Red" Schoendienst, Babe Ruth, Warren Spahn, Bart Starr, and John Unitas. Rainovic drew fourteen images of Hank Aaron, more than any other sports star in the collection. Most of Rainovic's team drawings concern the Milwaukee Braves and their opponents. Other sports documented in the collection include auto racing, basketball, bowling, boxing, football, golf, hockey, horse racing, polo, skating, skiing, tennis, and track and field. Most of these sports are represented by less than twenty images. The collection also includes a full run (1975-1980) of The Diamond Report, a national quarterly baseball publication which Rainovic edited and published, and his correspondence as a freelance caricaturist and writer. The collection is indexed by a database which contains the names of each person who was named and depicted in the drawings. The Rainovic papers contains over 600 pieces of original cartoon drawings, as well as correspondence, and news clippings. The collection is physically arranged into three series: Original Drawings, Newspaper clippings, and General Files. Many of the drawings depict several individuals. The database contains the names of each person who was named and depicted in the drawings. The Original Drawings, found in boxes 1-21, consist predominantly of caricatures of sports figures and athletic events, but also include some political caricatures. Most of the drawings date from the mid 1950s to mid 1970s. Baseball caricatures constitute the largest portion of the series. Some of the most famous star athletes portrayed are Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Ty Cobb, Dizzy Dean, Eddie Mathews, Micky Mantle, Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, "Red" Schoendienst, and Warren Spahn. Rainovic drew fourteen images of Hank Aaron, more than any other sports star in the collection, and of special note is image 74, celebrating Aaron's Rookie of the Year award. Most of Rainovic's team drawings concern the Milwaukee Braves and their opponents. Of particular interest are images 250-251, which concern the court case and move of the Braves to Atlanta. Football caricatures are the second largest segment of the series. Some of the most famous players and coaches listed are Bart Starr, Vince Lombardi, Jim Taylor, and Liz Blackbourn of the Green Bay Packers; Mike Ditka and George Halas of the Chicago Bears; John Unitas of the Colts; and "Bucky Badger" from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. The vast majority of the football images concern Green Bay Packer games and their opponents, especially the Bears, Colts, and Rams. Of special note are images 386 and 391, concerning the merger and organization of the National and American Football Leagues into the NFL. The majority of the Basketball artworks are devoted to high school and college games and players, although Bill Russell and Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) appear as well. The General Sports images depict a variety of the different sports intermingled within the same original artwork. Other sports documented in the collection include auto racing, basketball, bowling, boxing, golf, hockey, horse racing, polo, skiing, tennis, and track and field. Most of these sports are represented by less than twenty images. Several well-known sports figures in the drawings include Cassius Clay, Larry Holmes, Leon Spinks, and Rocky Marciano (boxing); Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player (golf); and Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Bobby Unser (auto racing). Most of Rainovic's political caricatures are of national and international leaders from the early to mid 1960s including Nelson Rockefeller, John Kennedy, and Paul Nitze. The Newspaper clippings contain Rainovic's drawings for which there is no original artwork. The greatest number of clippings are from the Milwaukee Journal, Milwaukee Sentinel, UWM Panther, and the Parkside Ranger. The General Files include a full run (1975-1980) of The Diamond Report, a national quarterly baseball publication which Rainovic edited and published. The files also contain a small collection of photographs and rough drafts of the columns he wrote for his own and other publications. The series includes Rainovic's correspondence as a freelance caricaturist and writer, and his letters and annotated class assignments from the Famous Artist Cartoon Course, taken as a correspondence course from the American Academy of Arts (Chicago, Illinois). Finding aid available in the Archives.

Sailing Club at UWM.
Records, 1977-1992.
UWM Manuscript Collection 38
Collection consists of partial administrative records, mostly dating from 1980-1988. Financial records include files on budgets, fleet captain's expenses, and segregated fees. Also contains minutes of the general membership and executive board meetings; correspondence pertaining to donations to the Club; and the Clubs's monthly newsletter, The Masthead. Other records include the Club's constitution, by-laws, and rules; articles of incorporation; membership lists; an inventory of fleet vessels; and paper copies of electronic bulletin board messages. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Stafford, Rosenbaum, Rieser, and Hansen (Law firm).
State of Wisconsin vs. Milwaukee Braves et al. records, 1953-1966.
Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 93
Legal papers, trial transcripts, memoranda, exhibits, correspondence, and other reference material created and collected by Willard S. Stafford and other members of the law firm Stafford, Rosenbaum, Rieser, and Hansen, in preparation for the 1966 trial of the case State of Wisconsin vs. Milwaukee Braves, Inc., et al. The case involved Wisconsin's attempt to prevent the Milwaukee Braves National League team from moving to Atlanta. Although much of the collection is available elsewhere in court records, it is retained as a complete record of the trial from the plaintiff's point of view. The inclusion of documentation compiled by Stafford and the members of his law firm illustrates the legal strategies devised by the attorneys for the State. These documents, as well as those created for use within the law firm, are available nowhere else or only in the records of the defendants. Finding aid available in the Archives.

University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee. Athletics. Office of the Director.
Records, 1895-1992.
UWM Archival Collection 8
Records of the Athletic Director of the University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee and its predecessor institutions, mostly dating from the 1970s. The collection contains numerous files on men's intercollegiate sports, especially basketball, football, and swimming, that include media guides, programs, schedules, rosters, statistics, and lists of records set during athletic competitions dating from 1895. The collection contains 312 reels of movie film, almost entirely of football games, dating from the 1940s to the 1970s. A few reels exist for basketball games and swimming meets. Other records document awards banquets and recipients of awards; club sports which were sponsored by the university but did not receive any university funding; the physical education program; and the building and maintenance of university athletic facilities, including the J. Martin Klotsche Center for Physical Education. Records concerning intramural sports include athletic records, rules, schedules, and statistics. The correspondence files document a wide variety of subjects such as intercollegiate athletics, physical education, student services, women's athletics, and university athletic facilities. Some records concern the efforts of UWM and other universities in the 1960s and 1970s to create an urban university conference, and include the proposed constitution and operating code; and materials on UWM's violations of NCAA basketball rules during the 1975 season. Finding aid available in the Archives.

University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee. Office of the Dean of Students.
Records, 1915-1990.
UWM Archival Collection 48
Collection contains records of the Dean of Students from the University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee (UWM) and its predecessor institutions. Most of the records date from the 1960-1982; the materials predating 1960 concern fraternities and sororities. The collection largely consists of files of UWM student organizations, including fraternities and sororities, student government, and a wide variety of ethnic, political, professional, religious, and social groups. Most of the files contain only a charter application form and a group registration form, which lists the name and function of the group, its off-campus affiliation, meeting location, names and addresses of officers, and faculty advisor. Some files contain officer change reports, a constitution and bylaws, correspondence, news clippings, photographs, and publicity materials. The most extensive files exist for campus fraternities and sororities, and Vietnam-era protest groups. Files also exist for a number of student groups for African-Americans, Hispanics, and women. Sports related files in this collection are sparse, but highly relevant to automobile enthusiasts. Finding aid available in the Archives.

University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee. Photographic Services.
Records, 1898-1989.
UWM Archival Collection 6
Photographs, negatives and slides, usually taken by the staff at Photographic Services, with a smaller number taken by the staff of the Wisconsin State Teacher's College, Times, and the UWM Post, and a variety of other sources. The images, all in black and white, document the administration, student activities, athletic competition, buildings, and activities of the Milwaukee Downer College, the Milwaukee Normal School, the Wisconsin State Teacher's College, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. A wide variety of sports are covered with dates ranging from 1898 to 1977. Finding aid available in the Archives.

White Arrow Club (West Allis, Wis.)
Records, 1924-1936.
Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 156
Records of a young men's club originally designed as a bicycle club in 1922, but which evolved into a general social club. Members participated in various sports, games, outings, and occasional volunteer activities in the community. Included is a record book containing minutes (1933-1936), a membership list, and attendance records; newsletters (1924-1933); the Warclub Annual (1927-1934); and miscellaneous items.

Wild, Robert, 1875-1928.
Wild family papers, 1825-1937.
Milwaukee Manuscript Collection CJ
Papers of a Milwaukee lawyer and the Wild family, which settled in Milwaukee in 1853. The majority of the collection consists of incoming letters from relatives in Baden, Germany; letters from the Wild children, especially George B., discussing family life, dispersal of relatives, education, and their movements and interests. Also contains the correspondence and speeches of Robert Wild on women's suffrage and prohibition. Includes letters from the Swayne family to George B. about baseball and miscellaneous issues, valuable largely for their autographs; records concerning the estate of Franz Mohr, a friend of the family; the Toledo Mud Hens, the Milwaukee West Side High School; and the Deutsche Gesellschaft von Milwaukee. Some materials are in German. Finding aid available in the Archives.