Ken Carpenter Collection

Collection

Identifier: SPC-2019-042

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Ken Carpenter Collection (1934-1937; 1946; undated) contains 6 linear feet of material that includes athletic event programs related mostly to track-and-field and football; correspondence; magazines; photographs; negatives; certificates; postcards; newspaper articles and clippings; ephemera; and other material mostly related to Ken Carpenter's college athletic career in discus. A majority of the materials in this collection relate to Carpenter's time on the United States track-and-field team prior to and during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany where he won a gold medal.

Dates

1934-1937; 1946; undated

Creator

Carpenter, William Kenneth, 1913-1984 (Collector, Person)

Language of Materials

Collection material is in English.

Conditions Governing Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Biographical / Historical

William Kenneth "Ken" Carpenter (April 19, 1913 – March 15, 1984)

"Ken Carpenter was USC's first 2-time NCAA champion in a weight event. He won the NCAA discus throw title in 1935 and 1936 (he was the runner-up in 1934), helping lead the Trojans to the NCAA team championship both years. A 2-year letterman (1935-36), he also won a pair of AAU crowns in the event in those years. He then captured the gold medal in the discus at the 1936 Berlin Olympics with an Olympic record heave of 165-7. He held the American record in the discus from 1936 to 1940. He came to USC from Compton (Calif.) High, where he starred in football and track. After a neck injury ended his football career in his freshman year at USC, he concentrated on the discus. After USC, he served in the Navy, then began a 33-year career as a junior college coach and teacher at College of the Sequoias and Compton College. He died in 1984 at age 70."

USC Athletics. “2003 Inductees For USC Athletic Hall Of Fame Announced.” USC Athletics, USC Athletics, 1 May 2017, https://usctrojans.com/news/2002/10/19/2003_Inductees_For_USC_Athletic_Hall_Of_Fame_Announced.aspx?path=general.

Extent

5 boxes (one document box; one photograph box; three oversized boxes)

6 Linear Feet

Additional Description

Abstract

This collection contains athletic event programs, correspondence, magazines, photographs, certificates, postcards, and other material mostly related to Ken Carpenter's college athletic career in discus including his time on the United States track-and-field team during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany where he won a gold medal.