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Guide to the Records of Athletics Programs at New York University RG.41

Records of Athletics Programs at New York University

Call Number

RG.41

Date

1889-2015, inclusive

Creator

New York University. Athletics Department

Extent

225 Linear Feet
in 79 manuscript boxes, 165 record cartons, 23 flat boxes, 1 card box, 2 cassette boxes, 2 folders in a shared flat box, 24 items in a shared CD box, and 1 flat-file folder

Extent

2.57 Terabytes

Extent

12 audiocassettes

Extent

127 Betacam

Extent

1 DAT

Extent

12 DVDs

Extent

64 Hi8

Extent

2 Sound_Disc-MiniDisc

Extent

81 MiniDV

Extent

66 U-matic

Extent

975 VHS

Extent

18 VHS-C

Extent

9 Video8

Language of Materials

Materials primarily in English.

Abstract

This collection contains the records of the New York University Athletics Department, including materials related to intercollegiate and intramural teams, player information, newspaper clippings, press releases, photographs, and team rosters and schedules. The collection spans from approximately 1889 to the 2010s.

Historical Note

Athletic competition began at New York University in 1873, when the first intercollegiate games in baseball and football were played. Formal intercollegiate competition did not begin until 1894, when NYU's move to the University Heights campus in the Bronx provided space for a budding athletics program to grow. On that campus the University erected a new gymnasium, as well as football and baseball fields. By 1907 the University fielded varsity baseball, football, basketball, tennis, and track teams.

NYU athletics continued to grow in success and popularity throughout the first half of the 20th century as sports became co-ed. Women's sports such as swimming, tennis and baseball began as informal "co-ed activities" in the 1920s and later became varsity programs. The University also saw a number of its students, coaches, and alumni participate in the Olympics, including Sam Jones, Howard and Ted Cann, Jose and Miguel De Capriles, Byron Dyce, and Carol Heiss.

The University's financial struggles forced the Athletics department to shut down both football and basketball in the 1970s as NYU left its Bronx campus. Athletics at NYU experienced a resurgence in the 1980s with the construction of the Jerome S. Coles Sports Center and the move from Division I to Division III competition. The basketball team was reactivated in 1983 and continues to play. NYU currently has varsity teams in basketball, cross country, fencing, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, volleyball and wrestling. Baseball returned as a varsity sport in 2015 and softball was added as a result of NYU's completed merger with NYU-Poly.

Arrangement

The collection is organized by sport, with additional series designated for administrative records, promotional material and records related to NYU athletes who competed in the Olympics.

Scope and Contents

This collection is comprised of the records of athletics programs at New York University. It spans from 1889 to the 2000s and includes newspaper clippings, press releases, team statistics, rosters, schedules, program and player information related to a number of team and individual sports. The frequency of each type of record varies from series to series.

The bulk of the collection relates to basketball, football and baseball.

Additionally, RG 41.9 is not listed but is reserved for records pertaining to the University Athletic Association.

Subjects

Organizations

People

Topics

Conditions Governing Access

Administrative records and unpublished reports of New York University are closed for a period of 20 years from the date of their creation. Access to files spanning multiple years will be opened to researchers based on the date of the most recent materials. Board of Trustees records are closed for 35 years from the date of creation. Materials related to personnel, grievances, job and fellowship searches and applications, and all files that fall under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) are permanently restricted. Additional restrictions may apply to other materials in this collection. For questions regarding specific restrictions, please contact the University Archives.

Conditions Governing Use

Any rights (including copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy) held by the creator are maintained by New York University. Permission to publish or reproduce materials in this collection must be secured from New York University Archives, 212-998-2646, university-archives@nyu.edu.

Preferred Citation

Identification of item, date (if known); Records of the Athletic Department; RG 41; box number; folder number; New York University Archives, New York University.

Location of Materials

Materials are stored offsite and advance notice is required for use. Please request materials at least two business days prior to your research visit to coordinate access.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Transferred to the archives in numerous accessions between 2012-2018. The accession numbers associated with this collection are 12.03, 2019.033, 2018.022, 06.029, 15.043, 2016.004, 2016.042, 16.016, 92.033, 2020.034, and 2023.048.

Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures

Access to audiovisual materials in this collection is available through digitized access copies. Researchers may view an item's original container, but the media themselves are not available for playback because of preservation concerns. Materials that have already been digitized are noted in the collection's finding aid and can be requested in our reading room.

Appraisal

Duplicate pieces of the Bobcat Costume were deaccessioned in February 2019.

Related Materials

MC 78 Athletic Department Scrapbook

The University Archives Photo Collection contains images of NYU teams and players from the late 19th century into the 1980s. Late 19th and early 20th century athletics images can also be found in the Historic Photographs and Drawings Collection (PHOTO 002).

Collection processed by

Claire Wolford. Additional processing by Elizabeth Alleva.

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-02-06 14:27:16 -0500.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: Finding aid written in English

Processing Information

Decisions regarding arrangement, description, and physical interventions for this collection prior to 2019 are unknown. Duplicate pieces of the Bobcat Costume were deaccessioned in February 2019. In June 2019 memorabilia was rehoused by preservation and sent offsite. In September 2019 wrestling student-athlete registration cards (1985-1986) underwent basic mold cleaning.

In 2020, Boxes 223, 224, and 225 were inspected by Preservation staff for mold; items in these boxes showing no evidence of mold were removed from their original boxes and moved to Box 269. Materials with evidence of mold were sent to Polygon for cleaning in early 2020 and returned in September 2020. During this process, Box 227 was deleted and the single folder of material from this box was transferred to Box 225.

Revisions to this Guide

September 2018: Updated by Jacqueline Rider to prepare objects for offsite storage
February 2019: Updated by Jennifer E. Neal to reflect deacession of duplicate materials
June 2019: Edited by Jennifer E. Neal for compliance with DACS and ACM Required Elements for Archival Description
September 2019: Updated by Megan O'Shea to prepare materials for offsite storage
September 2020: Updated by Rachel Searcy to reflect 2020.034 accretion
January 2024: Updated by Anna Björnsson McCormick to correct folder numbers

Repository

New York University Archives
New York University Archives
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10012
https://library.nyu.edu/locations/special-collections-center/