The materials within this collection relate primarily to William G. Morgan, his connections to Springfield College and Western Massachusetts, and his creation of the game of volleyball.

The collection contains Morgan’s original application to the Physical Department at the International YMCA Training School dated December 12, 1892. Additionally, there is some correspondence from Morgan’s daughter, Lillian Morgan Hewitt, which relates to Morgan’s induction into the Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978. The collection also includes an undated “biographical sketch” or timeline of Morgan’s life and a memo dated March 2, 1938 from George O. Draper which documents discussions he had just had with Morgan on the previous day about the creation of volleyball and his early life, etc. Beyond this, the collection contains several articles about early volleyball (1896) and about Morgan’s visit to Springfield College in 1938.

Also of note are several images of Morgan, including a cabinet card dating to the 1890s, portraits of the Training School football teams, and a lantern slide—which shows portraits of both James Naismith (Class of 1891) and Morgan (Class of 1894). There are also two copies of another, later image of Morgan. In addition to these images, the collection contains a video entitled “The William G. Morgan Story” which describes Morgan’s early life (e.g. his childhood in Lockport, New York, his time at the Mount Hermon School, the International YMCA Training School, and the Holyoke YMCA, etc.) and which documents the creation of volleyball.

The collection also includes a framed certificate of appreciation dated May 8, 1951 and signed by George J Fisher, President of the USVBA, and Harold T. Friermood, Secretary of the USVBA. Part of the inscription reads “To William G. Morgan, founder of Volley Ball while physical director at Holyoke YMCA and to the College which inspired him the United States Volley Ball Association extends high tribute in appreciation of his notable and generous contribution.”