Penn State Sports Archives Set To Celebrate 25th Anniversary This Weekend With Open House

Penn State will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Penn State Sports Archives, a collection in The Eberly Family Special Collections Library this Sunday with multiple events taking place.

The collection, which was established in 1988.

“We are showing items from all of the current varsity athletic programs,” Sports Archivist Paul Dyzak says. “Some of the items on display will be photographs, individual athlete files, and team media guides from all of the sports. In addition, we will have a display of various audio-visual materials from different sports which show the challenge of making materials these accessible to the public.

“There will also be a case of artifacts, including a soccer ball from 1924, old track shoes, old football cleats, wooden batons from track and field relay races, a football shaped game program from a 1905 game vs. Western University of Pennsylvania (which later became the University of Pittsburgh), and a Nittany Lion mascot paw from the late 1950s. My personal favorite is an old baseball ticket and scorecard from a 1895 game vs. the Cuban Giants in which the Cuban Giants won 13-4.”

As far programming, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 2, in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library — “Early Women’s Athletics,” a short film premiere and panel discussion. The event will feature never-before-seen films, including physical education instructor Marie Haidt and Penn State women students from the 1930s and 1940s.

The viewing will be followed by a discussion marking the 50th anniversary of Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics at Penn State, led by Ellen Perry, former associate athletics director; Janet Atwood, associate professor emerita sports science; Martha Adams, professor emerita health, physical education and recreation; Charlene Morett, head coach for women’s field hockey; and others.

In addition, Penn State will be opening the doors to the archive from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday in the Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library so vistors can see the collection.

“We want people to know that our sports collections exist and cover not only all 31 varsity sports, but sports no longer in existence, such as boxing, bowling, and skiing; and also consists of athletic coaches, administrators and educators papers.” Dyzak says.

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