From little league baseball to basketball championships, from calling the Hogs at a Razorback game to cheering on the Arkansas Travelers, sports have long been close to the hearts of Arkansans everywhere. Arkansas’s history is filled with friendly competitions and long-standing rivalries on the various playing fields, bringing together communities and schools to cheer on their favorite teams. Within the vaults of the Arkansas State Archives, there are a wealth of sports images and archival materials that help tell some of the story of sports in Arkansas. This online exhibit offers a small selection of the Arkansas State Archives' sports images.
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Amity High School men's basketball team
This is a black and white photograph of the Amity High School basketball team, unknown date. Players named are John Thompson, Russell Bigger, Woody Wilson, Harrison Shepherd, and Clint Thompson.
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Broadside, Marianna football game
This is a broadside advertising a Christmas Day football game in Marianna between the High School Golden Tornadoes and the All-Stars, unknown date.
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Girl's Sports at Central College and Conservatory in Conway
This is a page from the Central College and Conservatory's annual, "The Centralian." The images show sports at the all female college in Conway. Names listed include at top: 1. Chloe Grace, 2. Edith Skradlin, 3. Jeneve Ackrin, 4. Ruby Vaughn, 5. L(?) Henry, 6. Muriel Rogers, 7. Bess Dean, 8. Leo Burton, 9. Otis McDuffin, 10. Willie McKinley; bottom left: 1. Elizabeth Tate, 2. Olie Whitroe, 3. Julia Freeman, 4. Bertha Stinson, 5. Louise Henry, 6. Bess Dean, 7. Hattie Riley, 8. Leo Burton, 9. Ruby Vaughn, 10. Louise Lewelyn, 11. Frances Moore, 12. Grace Cunningham, 13. Leona Roberts, 14. Georgia Roberts, 15. (?), 16. Erie Merinan; bottom right: 1. Willie McKinley, 2. Bess Dean, 3. Ruby Vaughn, 4. Olie Whitroe
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Girl's Tennis Team at Central College and Conservatory in Conway
This is a page from the Central College and Conservatory's annual, "The Centralian." The images show tennis at the all female college in Conway. Names written on the page at top are: 1. Willie McKinley, 2. Bertha [?], 2. Bessie McCauley, 4. Bessie Riley, 5. [?], 6. Ruby Vaughn, 7. Edith Spradler, 8. Chloe Grace, 9. Winnie [?], 10. Louise Henry, 11. Bess Dean, 12. Otis McDuffin, 13. Frances Moore, 14. Olie Whitroe, 15. Leona Roberts.
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Ticket, Arkansas Lassies vs. men's faculty basketball game
This is a ticket to a basketball game played between the Arkansas Lassies Basketball team and the Men's Faculty at an unknown place. The Arkansas Lassies were a nationally known women's basketball team who frequently played male faculty at colleges and schools. The team was owned by Linda Yearby.
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Letter, Kenneth Johnson to Rev. Robert Goff
This is a typed letter from Kenneth Johnson, the University of Arkansas's Director of Information Services in Fayetteville, to Rev. Robert Goff in Wisconsin. The letter is a response to a letter previously written by Goff, who inquired about the origins of the Arkansas Razorback mascot.
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Arkansas State College football trophy presentation
This is a black and white photograph of Dr. Carl Reng (R) presenting a football bowl game trophy to the team's coach (middle, name unknown), and two players, left unknown and Richie Voit (second from left).
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Jonesboro High School cheerleaders
This is a black and white photograph of Jonesboro High School cheerleaders in the 1950s or early 1960s. Listed from top to bottom: Patty Pulliam, two unknown females, (?) Pratt, Carolyn Markle,unknown female, Melton, Marilyn Markle, unknown female
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Jonesboro High School 1957 cheerleaders
This is a black and white photograph of the 1957 Jonesboro High School cheerleaders. Listed from left to right: Roslyn Goodman Horner, Barbara Blanchard, Hannah Modelvesky, unknown, Joann Johnson, Betty Modelvesky, Mrs. Liz (Bob) Herring Harrison, Mona Housley.
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Conway High School girl's basketball team, 1955
This is a black and white photographic negative of an African American girl's basketball team in Arkansas. Although the title says Conway High School Girl's Basketball Team, Conway's public schools didn't integrate until the late 1960s. This might be Pine Street School in Conway, which was the all black school in Conway until integration. The girls' uniforms have "CHS" on them and there are no names with the photo.
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Malvern Colored High School football team
This is a black and white photograph of the Malvern Colored High School football team in Malvern. Stats for the 1950/1951 season are at the bottom of the photo.
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Malvern Colored High School boy's basketball team
This is a black and white photograph of the boy's basketball team at Malvern Colored High School. M.L. Johnson was the basketball coach.
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Malvern Colored High School girl's basketball team
This is a black and white photograph of the 1950 girl's basketball team at Malvern Colored High School.
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Westside Junior High School boy's basketball team, 1949
This is a black and white photograph of the boy's basketball team at Westside Junior High School in Little Rock in 1949. One of the boys is holding a trophy. The students are not identified.
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Washington High School basketball team
Photograph of the Washington High School Basketball Team. From left to right: Bob Hill, Claude Rowe, Frank Martin, Robert Dickson, Paul Gene Dudney, Ralph Webb, and Thurston Hulsey (Coach).
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Washington High School WPA gym
Photograph of Washington High School students playing tennis in the WPA gym
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Amity High School girl's basketball team
This is a black and white photograph of the girl's basketball team at Amity High School in 1941.
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Benton High School football team
This is a black and white photograph of the Benton High School football team, circa 1940. J.P. Moore is listed as quarterback.
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Amity High School football team
This is a black and white photograph of the Amity High School football team during their homecoming game in 1939.
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Benton High School football team
This is a black and white photograph of the Benton High School football team, circa 1939. The mascot in the center is "Popeye" Wills.
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Portia High School junior basketball squad
This is a black and white photograph attached to a page in the 1939 Portia High School yearbook memorializing the junior boy's basketball team.
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Portia High School senior boy's basketball team
This is a black and white photograph attached to a page in the 1939 Portia High School yearbook memorializing the senior boy's basketball team. The team was called the Pontiacs.
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Baseball game in Mountain Home, Arkansas
This is a black and white photograph of a local baseball game being played off of Highway 62 in Mountain Home, Baxter County.
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Portia High School girls basketball squad
This is a black and white photograph attached to a page in the 1938 Portia High School yearbook memorializing the girl's basketball team.