Aleph Number:
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[Identification of item], Director of Athletics records, University Archives, Duke University.
The Director of Athletics records were received by the University Archives as a transfer between 1982-2001.
Processed by Josh Larkin Rowley, February 2009
Encoded by Josh Larkin Rowley, March 2009
Accessions UA82-116, UA83-107, UA84-58, UA86-7, UA86-53, UA89-48, UA90-3, UA94-106, UA99-16, UA2001-44 were merged into one collection, described in this finding aid.
Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory:
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
The Athletic Director plans, administers, and directs intercollegiate athletic activities at Duke University and interprets and participates in formulating extramural athletic policies. The Director employs and discharges coaching staff and other department employees on own initiative or at direction of board in charge of athletics. Additionally, the Director prepares and disseminates publicity to promote athletic events; plans and coordinates activities of coaching staff; prepares budget and authorizes department expenditures; plans and schedules sports events; and oversees ticket sales and income generated by ticket sales. The Athletic Director also works closely with coaches, staff, and University administration to ensure adhesion to University codes of conduct and rules and regulations set forth by the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Tom Butters was a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and former pitcher for Major League Baseball's Pittsburgh Pirates organization (1962-1964). Butters began his career at Duke in 1967 when he became Director of Special Events. He became Duke University's head baseball coach in 1968, a position he held until 1970. He later became director of the Iron Dukes (1970), Assistant Director of Athletics (1972-1975), and Associate Athletic Director and assistant to the chancellor in 1976. In 1977, Butters became Duke University's fifth Athletic Director, preceded by James DeHart (1926-1930), Wallace Wade (1931-1942, 1946), Eddie Cameron (1942-1972), and Carl James (1972-1976). As Athletic Director Butters was known as an intrepid fundraiser and is credited with upgrading several athletic facilities erected in the 1930s and 1940s. While serving on the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Basketball Committee, Butters was instrumental in negotiating a one billion dollar contract with CBS. Upon his retirement in 1998, Butters had spent thirty years of his professional career involved with Duke University Athletics. He was succeeded by Joe Alleva (1998-2008).
Contains material pertaining to the daily activities of the Duke University Athletic Director. The collection is divided into nine series: general correspondence, contracts and schedules and seven subject series arranged in accession order. A majority of the material was accumulated by Tom Butters as Assistant Director of Athletics (1972-1975), Associate Athletic Director (1976), and Athletic Director (1977-1998). However, a small amount of material was created by Butters' predecessors, Carl James (1972-1976) and Eddie Cameron (1942-1972).
General correspondence is divided into two subseries: alphabetical and chronological. Alphabetical correspondence documents communication with other university offices, faculty, staff, alumni, and students; colleagues at other educational institutions and professional organizations; and various fundraising and promotional campaigns and events. Chronological correspondence contains primarily outgoing correspondence concerning similar topics.
Subject files contain material relating to Butters' work with the University and various regional and national athletics organizations. Prominent subjects throughout include the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). NCAA material includes correspondence, memoranda, and minutes concerning rules and regulations; annual conventions and special meetings; various committees including Division I Basketball Committee and Television Committee; and printed material. ACC material includes correspondence, memoranda, and minutes concerning annual meetings, workshops, and clinics; news and press releases; tournaments and bowl games; legislative proposals; and several committees including Television Committee and Restructuring Committee. Also present are materials relating to Butters' fundraising activities; work with the Iron Dukes and Alumni Association; Duke University Sports Hall of Fame nominees, inductees, and speeches; Athletics Council minutes and memoranda; and athletic facilities maintenance and upgrade projects including several made to Wallace Wade Stadium and Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Other material relating directly to Duke University athletics are sports files and scholarship athletes. Sports files contain rosters, stats, and contest reports for numerous men's and women's revenue and non-revenue sports. Scholarship material contains letters of intent, and correspondence concerning scholarship renewal and terms and conditions of acceptance. Additional noteworthy subjects include Title IX, College Football Association (CFA), Raycom, North Carolina Amateur Sports, National Association of College Athletic Directors (NACAD), and National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (NAIAW).
The Contracts and Schedules series contains contracts and agreements between Duke University and other colleges, universities, and academies, travel itineraries for road contests, game schedules, and lists of lettering athletes for several revenue and nonrevenue sports.
These are searchable subject entries for this collection. Performing a search on these subjects in the Duke University Libraries online catalog will bring up other related research materials.
One 8x10 black and white photograph of the 1965 varsity football team was removed from accession UA83-107. Also, seven floorplans of the Finch-Yeager Building created by Worth Younts Contract Interiors (1980-1981) were removed from accession UA84-58.
Contains correspondence documenting the daily activities of the Athletic Director and includes communication with other university offices; faculty, staff, alumni, and students; colleagues at other educational institutions and professional organizations; promotional campaigns; and various social and fundraising events. Correspondence is divided into two subseries: alphabetical and chronological. Chronological correspondence contains primarily outgoing correspondence.
Accession contains bulletins, minutes, statistics, and correspondence pertaining to the Atlantic Coast Conference; contracts and schedules for non-revenue sports; and policies, minutes, and general information concerning Title IX. Additional subjects include NCAA and North Carolina Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (NCAIAW).
Accession contains memoranda and correspondence with university administrators and faculty; council and committee reports and minutes; as well as newspaper clippings and printed material. Prominent subjects include Athletic Council, ACC, NCAA, Iron Dukes, and women's sports.
Accession contains correspondence and memoranda, council minutes and reports, surveys, various committee records, men's and women's athletic scholarship information; and football bulletins, correspondence, and schedules. Also present are sports files that contain rosters, stats, and contest reports. Additional subjects include athletic facilities, promotions, radio and television, and ACC and NCAA.
Accession contains material pertaining to Duke's football coaching vacancy in 1982; correspondence, memoranda, and minutes of the Athletic Council; subject correspondence including NCAA, Iron Dukes, and letters from students, staff, and alumni concerning the hiring of Steve Sloan as new head football coach; and material pertaining to various facility improvement projects.
Accession contains correspondence and memoranda, reports, sports files, and scholarship athletes material. Sports files contain eligibility lists, rosters, statistics, contest reports, and player statements. Scholarship athlete material includes men's and women's sports, consisting of correspondence and memoranda concerning scholarship renewal and terms and conditions of acceptance. NCAA and ACC material is also present. Accession UA89-48 is at the end of box 17.
Accession contains correspondence, recommendations, minutes, budget material, and material pertaining to the maintenance and improvement of various athletic facilities. Prominent subjects include Athletic Council, ACC, College Football Association, and NCAA.
For a period of twenty-five years from the origin of the material, permission in writing from the director of the office of origin and the University Archivist is required for use. After twenty-five years, records that have been processed may be consulted with the permission of the University Archivist. Please consult reference archivist in to determine which materials are effected by the restriction.
Accession contains correspondence and memoranda, reports, proposals, surveys, committee records, and budget material. Records pertain to various NCAA and ACC meetings, committees, and tournaments; Alumni affairs, the Athletic Council, television agreements, Iron Dukes, and facilities projects. Accession 2001-44, located in box 26, contains photocopies of 1939-1940 correspondence between Wallace Wade and Duke Football player, Charles Hipp.
For a period of twenty-five years from the origin of the material, permission in writing from the director of the office of origin and the University Archivist is required for use. After twenty-five years, records that have been processed may be consulted with the permission of the University Archivist. Please consult reference archivist in to determine which materials are effected by the restriction.
Also present in this series are records of the Board of Trustees. Records of the University's Board of Trustees which have been in existence for at least fifty years are available for scholarly research with the permission of the University Archivist. Access to records which have been in existence for less than fifty years shall be granted only by special permission, in writing, from the Board of Trustees.
Series contains contracts and agreements between Duke University and other colleges, universities, and academies, travel itineraries, game schedules, and lists of lettering athletes for several revenue and nonrevenue sports.
For a period of twenty-five years from the origin of the material, permission in writing from the director of the office of origin and the University Archivist is required for use. After twenty-five years, records that have been processed may be consulted with the permission of the University Archivist.