Dr. Mimi Murray Papers
Collection Scope and Contents
Materials in this collection include correspondence, reports, pamphlets, books, news releases, newspaper articles, magazine articles, photographs, slides, contact sheets, certificates, uniforms and various clothing, posters, handwritten notes, agendas, contracts, class syllabi, sheet music, budget and financial documents, affidavits, typed transcriptions of court testimony, correspondence, memorandums, court paper (including exhibits), meeting minutes, unpublished manuscripts, VHS tapes, plaques, and awards created by or collected by Dr. Mimi Murray from Springfield College, her coaching of gymnastics, and from many professional organizations. Materials date from 1965 to 2010.
A lot of the collection are materials from Dr. Mimi Murray long career at Springfield College, including materials from her time as head coach of the Women’s Gymnastics team, some of her teaching materials, and her work on gender equality at the school. The gymnastics materials include materials from the first DGWS Women’s Gymnastics Championships held in 1969 and the DGWS Women’s Gymnastics Eastern Region Championships in 1972. Materials produced, collected, or used by Dr. Murray in various classes she taught at Springfield College include syllabi, and supporting materials on various. Her work on gender equality at Springfield College includes reports, meeting minutes and memos outlining the current state of and support given Springfield College in the areas of Athletics, teaching and workloads. Supporting documentation includes information on Title IX and gender and race discrimination.
There is a lot of correspondence in the collection, including correspondence regarding the New England Gymnastics Clinic held on November 28th & 29th, 1969. Information on this conference, also include contract agreement for clinic instructors, master teacher lists and session lists are within the materials. There is also correspondence from Dr. Murray’s time as the president of American Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD) from 1991-1994. In addition, there is correspondence along with drafts of articles concerning a 1983 issue in JOPERD (Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance) concerning women in the Olympics and from the time Dr. Murray acted as the NAGWS liaison to the USGF and was a member of the NAGWS-USGF Joint Certification Committee. These materials also contained supporting materials from the NAGWS-USGF Joint Certification Committee meeting.
There are documents from two legal cases in the collection, including the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) vs. NCAA Legal (case no. 81-2473) and the AIAW vs. NBC (case no. 84-3628); both filed in the US District Court of the District of Columbia. There are affidavits, typed transcriptions of testimony, correspondence, memorandums, court paper (including exhibits), and magazine and newspaper articles about the cases. The documents date from 1980 to 1985. The affidavit of Donna L. Lopiano, the president of AIAW at the time is in the AIAW vs. NCAA case papers contains history of Women’s Athletics in the United States, with citations and footnotes of the sources that she used. There is also an Affidavit from Dr. Murray that may have been for the AIAW vs. NCAA legal case. This affidavit, though, has information about her relationship with the NBC as a commentator through the AIAW. Within the collection are also many reports, government documents, manuscripts, pamphlets, newsletters, magazines, and newspaper articles collected by Dr. Murray all having to do with Title IX and women’s equity in sport. Materials date from 1975 through 1985.
Finally, along with her personal writings and lectures, there are various items of realia, including many plaques and awards from her career and clothing, including the warm-up Olympic/national sweat suit from her work with the US national gymnastics team and two Springfield College teaching dresses and physical education skirt for Women.
Dates
- Creation: ca. 1967 - 2017
Creator
- Murray, Mimi (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Unrestricted,except:
Series 8: AIAW vs. NCAA Legal Case Papers (case no. 81-2473):
Materials in this series are of a legal nature where access rules are unknown. Access requires approval by the College Archivist.
Series 8: AIAW vs. NBC Legal Case Legal Papers (case no. 84-3628):
Materials in this series are of a legal nature where access rules are unknown. Access requires approval by the College Archivist.
Conditions Governing Use
Rights status not fully evaluated.
Read our full copyright statement.
Biographical Note
A professor and athletic coach at Springfield College since 1967, Dr. Mimi Murray enjoys a national and international reputation in the field of athletics and is recognized for her pioneering contributions to the field of sport psychology, her influence on behalf of girls and women in sport, and her excellence in teaching. Dr. Murray has served as president for the International Council for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Sport, and Dance (ICHPER-SD); the American Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD); and the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS). Murray also served as vice president for the United States Collegiate Sports Council.
Born Mildred C. Murray on Nov. 3, 1940, Dr. Murray grew up in Summit New Jersey, graduating from Summit High School in 1957. Dr. Murray is a graduate of Springfield College with a Bachelor of Science (1961) and a Master of Science (1967). She received a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Connecticut (1976). During the efforts to secure passage of the landmark Title IX legislation, Murray was a prime mover and her work in Women’s equality and diversity issues are a hallmark of her career. Among her major honors and awards, she was the Ethics Fellow of the International Institute for the Study of Sport, received the Luther Halsey Gulick Award from AAHPERD, the R. Tait McKenzie Award, and many other honor awards from AAHPERD, ICHPER-SD, and NAGWS. She was inducted into the inaugural class of the New Agenda: Northeast Women’s Hall of Fame and is an inductee in the Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2017, she was the recipient of the Springfield College President’s Humanics Achievement Award.
Dr. Murray served as the Springfield College Women’s gymnastics coach from 1968-1974. Her teams compiled a perfect 37-0 record in dual team meets and won five Eastern titles, three Division I national championships, including the first DGWS championship held in 1969. Dr. Murray was named the National Gymnastics Coach of the Year in 1974. Dr. Murray coached the USA Team for the 1973 World University Games and was named "Coach of the Year" in gymnastics in 1974. Her textbook, Gymnastics for Women: The Spectator, Gymnast, Coach, and Teacher, is considered an authoritative source in the sport. She has been a gymnastics commentator on ABC-TV’s Wide World of Sports and NBC’s Sportsworld. Additionally, she served as the Springfield College Women’s Volleyball Coach from 1976-1978. Her record was 33 wins, 8 ties, and 16 loses.
As a sports psychologist, Dr. Murray has published many articles and has lectured throughout the United States. She also has served as a sport psychology consultant with the USA Equestrian Team (1984 Los Angeles Games), USA Field Hockey Team (1996 Atlanta Games), and worked with numerous professional, collegiate, and high school athletes and coaches.
Information mostly retrieved from:
Mimi Murray Day pamphlet - https://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15370coll2/id/7574
Springfield College Directory Website (site no longeer available)
Athletic Hall of Fame Website page – http://springfieldcollegepride.com/information/ahof/HOF_Bios/Murray
Official Slate of Candidates for the Office of the President-Elect of the AAHPERD - https://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15370coll2/id/21549
Resume of Dr. Mimi Murray - https://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15370coll2/id/21551
SC News Release “Assistant Professor of Physical Education” - https://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15370coll2/id/21550
- Written by Jeffrey Monseau in November 2018
Chronology
1961 - Bachelor of Science in Physical Education, Springfield College
1967 - Master of Science in Physical Education, Springfield College
1967 - Hired as Professor of Physical Education at Springfield College
1968 - Appointed Coach of the Springfield College Women's Gymnastics Team (1968-1974; 37-0, dual meets)
1969 - Women’s Gymnastics National Championship
1971 - Women’s Gymnastics National Championship
1972 - Women’s Gymnastics National Championship
1973 - Appointed US Women's Gymnastics Coach for World University Games
1974 - Coach of the year
1976 - Doctor of Philosophy, University of Connecticut
1976 - Appointed Coach of Springfield College Women’s Volleyball (1976-1978; 33-8-16)
1984 - Sports Psychologist US Olympic Equestrian Team at Los Angeles Olympics
1987 - Named One of Five Pioneers for Girls· & Women in Sport in USA, Women's Sports Foundation
1988 - President National Association of Girls & Women in Sports (NAGWS)
1993 - President Association of American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD)
1993 - Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame
1994 - ICHPERD Vice President for North America
1999 - Appointed President of ICHPER-SD
2017 - Springfield College President’s Humanics Achievement Award
2019 - Retires
Extent
18 Linear Feet (24 boxes )
Language of Materials
English
Metadata Rights Declarations
Abstract
A professor and athletic coach at Springfield College since 1967, Dr. Mimi Murray enjoys a national and international reputation in the field of athletics and is recognized for her pioneering contributions to the field of sport psychology, her influence on behalf of girls and women in Sport, and her excellence in teaching. Dr. Murray has served as president for the International Council for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Sport, and Dance (ICHPER-SD); the American Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD); and the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS). Murray also served as vice president for the United States Collegiate Sports Council.
Materials in this collection include correspondence, reports, pamphlets, books, news releases, newspaper articles, magazine articles, photographs, slides, contact sheets, certificates, uniforms and various clothing, posters, handwritten notes, class syllabi, sheet music, budget and financial documents, affidavits, typed transcriptions of court testimony, correspondence, memorandums, court paper (including exhibits), meeting minutes, unpublished manuscripts, VHS tapes, plaques, and awards created by or collected by Dr. Mimi Murray from Springfield College, her coaching of gymnastics, and from many professional organizations. Materials date from 1965 to 2017.
Collection History
Most materials were donated by Dr. Mimi Murray, though some, mainly the photographs and some biographical materials, came from various Springfield College Collections. It was decided that it was best if the materials were kept all in one place with the materials donated by Dr. Murray. The donations by Mimi Murray occurred between 2008 and 2018:
Digitized Materials
Browse digitized materials from this collection. This collection is partially digitized.
Digital Objects Searches
Processing History
Since materials came from different sources at different times, there is no original arrangement inherent in the collection. Where materials were in distinct groups, such as the AIAW vs. NCAA, Gymnastics, and Title IX documents, materials were kept together and distinct, even if some of the materials could have gone into other series. Therefore, there may be some repeated material within the collection. Also, where materials were in dated folders, such as correspondence, all effort was made to keep these materials together, even if some of those materials were undated.
RESEARCHER NOTE: OTHER MATERIALS
Since this collection was processed in 2018, two major donations have been received. Materials arrived in 2021 and 2022. These materials have yet to be fully added to the collection. Please ask the College Archivist to see materials in ACQ-0062-2021 and ACQ-0031-2022.
Subject
- Murray, Mimi (Person)
- Springfield College (Organization)
- Judd, Leslie J. (Person)
- Wolcott, Frank A., Mr., '52 (Person)
- Weckwerth, Charles Fredrick (Person)
- Shawn, Ted, 1891-1972 (Person)
- Cardinali, Jeffrey (Person)
- Lopiano, Donna A. (Person)
- American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. Eastern District Association (Organization)
- International Council for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Sport and Dance (Organization)
- American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (Organization)
- National Collegiate Athletic Association (Organization)
- National Association for Girls & Women in Sport (Organization)
- American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. Division for Girls and Women’s Sports (Organization)
Topical
- Civil Rights
- Coaching (Athletics)
- Dance
- Gymnastics
- Gymnastics -- Coaching -- United States
- National Broadcasting Company
- Physical education and training
- Physical education and training -- Societies
- Physical education and training -- United States
- Sport psychologists
- Sports
- Sports for women
- Springfield College -- Volleyball
- Springfield College -- Alumni and alumnae
- Springfield College -- Faculty
- Springfield College -- Gymnastics
- Springfield College -- Sports
- Springfield College -- Volleyball -- Women
- Title IX
- Volleyball
- Women sport psychologists
- Women’s Equity Action League
- Women’s rights
Uniform Title
- Title
- Dr. Mimi Murray Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Jeffrey Monseau
- Date
- 2018-12
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2023-03-26: Transferring information from the original Word document to ArchivesSpace.
Repository Details
Part of the Springfield College Archives and Special Collections Repository
Springfield College
Judd Gymnasia
263 Alden Street
Springfield Massachusetts 01109 U.S.A. US
413-748-3309
jmonseau@springfieldcollege.edu