University of Wyoming, Athletic Dorm Reunions collection

University of Wyoming, Athletic Dorm Reunions collection, 1984-2020

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Hamilton, Mary Talovich; Johnstone, George R.
Title: University of Wyoming, Athletic Dorm Reunions collection
Dates: 1984-2020 (inclusive)
Date of CollectionDate of Collection
Quantity: 3.60 cubic ft. (4 boxes) + 7.36 GB
Collection Number: 300058
Summary: The University of Wyoming, Athletic Dorm housed scholarship student athletes from 1950-1963 in the Men’s Residence Hall, which later became McWhinnie Hall. Collection contains a video of the University of Wyoming, Athletic Dorm reunions from 1984-2019, an article written in 2009, background information regarding the reunions, photographs, biographical information and sketches of athletes who lived in the Athletic Dorm, athlete reminisces, football and basketball programs from the 1950’s and 1960s, ephemera, and artifacts.
Repository: American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions: There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
Languages: English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The University of Wyoming, Athletic Dorm (also known as the “APE Dorm”) housed scholarship student athletes from 1950-1963 in the Men’s Residence Hall, which later became McWhinnie Hall. It housed athletes from all UW sports and allowed the athletes to develop friendships that lasted long past graduation. In 1984, a group of former residents of the dorm, and their spouses; Stan Popeck, Raymond “Bugs” DiFelici, George Johnstone, and Vince Zimmer organized a UW Athletic Dorm Reunion in Lander, Wyoming. The reunion was so successful that they continued to reunite until August 2019, when the last reunion was held.

In 1928, the Men’s Residence Hall was constructed as the first men’s dormitory on campus. Designed by Wilbur Hitchcock, it had room for approximately 102 students. It became the Athletic Dorm in the early 1950s and was used for that purpose until 1963, when the NCAA discouraged separate housing for athletes. It then became Graduate Hall before becoming an office building for the College of Education. In 1981, the building was renamed McWhinnie Hall, in honor of long-time UW Registrar, Ralph McWhinnie. McWhinnie also was the first Men’s Residence Hall Director, and he was a long-time scorer for UW athletics.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Collection contains a video of the UW Athletic Dorm reunions from 1984-2019, an article written in 2009, background information regarding the reunions, photographs, biographical information of athletes who lived in the Athletic Dorm, athlete reminisces, biographical sketches gathered as part of a reunion activity known as the English 101 assignment, football and basketball programs from the 1950’s and 1960s, ephemera, and artifacts that include a frying pan and spoon used to wake up members of the dorm in the mornings and a reunion welcome banner.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Restrictions on Use

Statement on Potentially Harmful Language and Images Found in Collections

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Note that the AHC does not censor or alter contents of the collections as they provide context and evidence of a time, people, place, or event. Therefore, we encourage users to bring questions and concerns about descriptions in our finding aids to our attention via email or anonymous web-form. For more information, read our full statement.

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by the University of Wyoming, Athletic Dorm reunions at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

This material was received from Mary Talovich Hamilton in 2019 and George R. Johnstone in 2020.

Processing Note

The collection was processed by Jamie J. Greene in November 2020 and updated in July 2022.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I. Mary Talovich Hamilton collectionReturn to Top

Mary Hamilton was born and raised in Thermopolis, Wyoming and graduated from UW with a BS in Pharmacy in 1961. She created a video of the UW Athletic Dorm reunions documenting the reunions from their start in 1984 to 2019. Her husband, Martin “Marty” Hamilton, was a former resident of the dorm and UW football starting right end from 1958-1960.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box
1 and Digital	ahcdm_300058_001	Lander reunions background (USB)	2019
1 and Digital	ahcdm_300058_001	UWyo article - "Athletics: Dorm Friendships Remain 30 Years Later" by Tom Lacock (USB)	2009
Digital	ahcdm_300058_001	Video: UW Athletics Dorm Lander Reunions, 1984-2019 (USB)	2019

Series II. George R. Johnstone collectionReturn to Top

George R. Johnstone was a University of Wyoming football player from 1958-1960 and lived in the Athletic Dorm. He was a major contributor to the formation of the UW Athletic Dorm Reunions. This series contains Johnstone's collection of UW athlete biographies, publications, photographs, correspondence, newspaper clippings and articles, and artifacts regarding UW Athletic Dorm history, reunions, and the athletes who lived in the dorm from 1950-1963.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
4		Artifacts: Frying pan, spoon, and story behind it (pan and spoon from the dorm kitchen and used by the cook, Willie Williams, to wake up the athletes for breakfast)	undated
4		Artifacts: Reunion Banner (with Flip Darr name tag)	2007
2 and Digital	ahcdm_300058_002-003	Athlete biographies and photographs, A-Z - English 101 assignments (2 DVDs)	1950-2019
2		Biographical - Flip Darr	2009
2		Biographical - George Johnstone	1956-1985
2		Biographical - Stan Popeck	1960-2004
2		Biographical - Richard Norman Williams	2016
2		Book: "A Million Cheers: 100 years of Wyoming Cowboy Football" by Steve Weakland	1993
2		Book: "The Shadow Warriors: Vietnam" by Colonel John E. O'Grady, USA Retired	1968-1972
2		Correspondence	2004-2019
3		Football team statistics	1958-1961
3		Football - Article about Northwest Community College football team (Powell)	2015
3		Football - Scouting Reports	1957
3		Photographs: Miscellaneous related to George Johnstone	1950-1970
3		Photographs: Reunions	1995-2011
		Publications:
Box	Folder
3		AAU Basketball programs (includes regional tournament in Torrington)	1952-1957
3		Articles about Wyoming Football	1957-1960
3		Harlem Globetrotters game program	1953
3		New York Yankees vs. Denver Bears game program	1964
3		Wyo Yearbook supplement	1955
3		Wyoming Basketball game programs	1951-1955
3		Wyoming Football game programs	1950-1961
Box	Folder
3		Reunion guest lists	2007
4		Scrapbook: 1961 UW Football newspaper clippings	1961
3		University of Wyoming, Athletic Dorm Reunion summary books	1984-2020
3		University of Wyoming Athletics, Hall of Fame - 1959 football team induction	2013
3		Wyoming football articles	1957-2001
3		Wyoming Scholar Athletes	1958-1961

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