Inventory of the Ken Carpenter Collection SPC.2019.042
Karen Clemons
California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
2019-11-15; updated 2022-07
University Library South -5039 (Fifth Floor)
1000 E. Victoria St.
Carson, CA 90747
archives@csudh.edu
Contributing Institution:
California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
Title: Ken Carpenter Collection
Creator:
Carpenter, William Kenneth, 1913-1984
Identifier/Call Number: SPC.2019.042
Physical Description:
5 boxes
(one document box; one photograph box; three oversized boxes)
Physical Description:
6 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1934-1937; 1946; undated
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.
Language of Material: 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.
Preferred Citation
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.
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.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Collection was donated with the cooperation of the Compton 125 Historical Society, 2018; 2022.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Compton (Calif.)
Track and field athletes
Discus throwing
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Newspapers
Compton (Calif.) -- Newspapers
Olympic Games (11th : 1936 : Berlin, Germany)
University of Southern California
box 3, folder 1
"Pigskin Review". University of Southern California vs. College of the Pacific [official football program]
September 29, 1934
box 3, folder 6-7
USC- office of the comptroller, office of the registrar, notes presumably for classes, examination book
June 1934, April 1935, November [no year]; undated
box 3, folder 2
"13 Annual NCAA Track Meet" [program]
June 22-23 [no year]
box 3, folder 2
Track and Field Meet program. California vs. Southern California
April 6, 1935
box 1
"The Trojan Sig 1934-1935" published periodically by the Alpha Upsilon Chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity University of Southern
California
May 25, 1935
Language of Material: English.
box 3, folder 3
59th Annual Meet Intercollegiate Association Amateur Athletes of America [program]
May 31-June 1, 1935
Language of Material: English.
box 3, folder 2
Track and Field Meet program. Ohio State vs. Southern California and All-City Finals
June 15, 1935
box 1
Stockholmsspelen (Stockholms Games) 1935. two programs; three letters
July 24-26, 1935
Language of Material: Swedish.
box 1
"Program vid Orgryte I.S. Amerika-Tavlingar a Slottsskogsvallen"
July 30, 1935
Language of Material: Swedish.
box 1
Photo of S.S. Bremen with map that shows the ship's route and dates from Cherbourg, France to New York [City]
August 1935
Language of Material: English.
box 4
caricature of Ken Carpenter "in Budapest (Hungary)"
August 20, 1935
box 3, folder 4
Southern California Alumni Review, Vol. XVII, No. 4
December 1935
box 1
Long Beach Relays, 18th Annual S.P.A.A.A.U. Championships. Promoted by Long Beach Recreation Commission, Stephens Field, Long
Beach, California [program]
March 7, 1936
Language of Material: English.
box 1
Track and Field Meet program. Olympic Club vs. Southern California, held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
May 2, 1936
Language of Material: English.
box 3, folder 5
programs- 1st, 2nd, and 4th Annual Compton Invitational Track and Field Meet
May 22, 1936; May 21, 1937; June 2, 1939
box 3, folder 13-18
Letters sent to Ken Carpenter from Loretta [no last name]; Lucille Ervin; Lesley Mayson "Minden"; and others. Includes letters
of congratulations and well wishes regarding Carpenter's track-and-field career and Olympic medals.
May-December 1936; January-May, August, 1937; January 1938; February 1947; undated
box 1
Time Magazine, Vol. XXVIII, No. 4
July 27, 1936
Language of Material: English.
box 1, box 3, folder 11-12
telegrams from "Jerre and Dewey"; Mother Florence and Geo; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Lovejoy; Joe and Juanita; and others to Carpenter.
May-June 1935; June-August 1936; July, September 1937; undated
Language of Material: English.
box 3, folder 8
"Tages=Programm. XI Olympische Spiele Berlin"
August 7 and 16, 1936
Language of Material: English, German.
Scope and Contents
Plan der Kampfstatten fur 7 August [Scheme of the sports grounds of August 7th]; Plan der Kampfstatten fur 16 August [Scheme
of the sports grounds of August 16th] two copies.
box 1
Welcome program from the City of New York to members of the 1936 United States Olympic Team
August 28-September 2, 1936
Language of Material: English.
box 3, folder 9
"So Kämpfte und Siegte die Jugend Der Welt, XI Olympiade Berlin"
September 1936
Language of Material: German.
box 1
cover of "American Champions, Fifty Portraits of American Athletes by Stowitts" Special Sport Exhibition
September 1936
Physical Description: Item is fragile
Language of Material: Material is in German and English
box 3, folder 10
1936 Olympic Games- memorandums, letters, instructions for final try-outs; letters of congratulations, invitations
1936-1937
box 1
1936 Summer Olympics souvenir envelopes
1936
Language of Material: English.
box 1
American Olympic Committee Handbook for Officials and Members of the American Olympic Teams. Property of Kenneth Carpenter,
XI Olympiad Berlin
1936
Language of Material: English.
box 3, folder 17
Letter from Paul Rekers. Includes photographs taken of Ken Carpenter and others during the previous summer.
circa summer 1936; January 1937
box 1
three empty envelopes; two addressed to Ken Carpenter
1936
Language of Material: English.
box 1
Stowitts' American Champions, Fifty Portraits of American Athletes program
circa 1936
Language of Material: English.
box 1
a list of distinguished athletes
circa 1936
Physical Description: Item is fragile
Language of Material: English.
box 3, folder 2
NCAA Track and Field program [cover missing]
circa 1936?
box 1
black-and-white photograph possibly of the 1936 United States track-and-field Olympic team
undated
Language of Material: English.
box 1
Amateur Athletic Union of the United States Certificate of Selection for all America Track and Field Team, and All America
College Team (two certificates)
January 1, 1937
Language of Material: English.
box 1
Certificate proving Carpenter free from communicable disease, from Station Dispensary, Fort Armstrong, T.H.
January 15, 1937
Language of Material: English.
box 1
Life Magazine cover featuring University of Southern California football player, Chuck Williams
October 11, 1937
Language of Material: English.
box 3, folder 1
Compton vs. Long Beach Poly, Ramsaur Field [program]
October 5, 1946
box 1
Compton College vs. Idaho Southern University, Ramsaur Field. Preliminary game: Compton College Reserves vs. Muir J.C. Reserves
[program]
October 11, 1946
Language of Material: English.
box 3, folder 1
"Erie vs. Atlantic" [front cover only]
undated
box 1
black-and-white portrait of a boy in a military uniform
undated
Language of Material: English.
box 1
illustration of Olympic javelin thrower
undated
Physical Description: item is fragile
Language of Material: English.
box 1
black-and-white portrait of "William H. and Mary E. Carpenter taken at time he was made 1st Mayor of Compton". Presented by
Mrs. [Dorris] Clark
undated
Language of Material: English.
box 2
photographs and negatives of Ken Carpenter; Carpenter's friends and possibly his family; USC track-and-field team members;
Paris; images of Carpenter throwing discus; photographs taken on the RMS Aquitania and during the 1936 Olympics; images of
the USA team; and others
circa 1935-1937
Language of Material: English.
box 2
Certificates from Amateur Athletic Union of the United States, and semi-final for Olympic tryouts for discus
1936
Language of Material: English.
box 2
Telegrams; postcards; Christmas cards; travel tags; invitations; foreign mail service cards; track-and-field ribbons; TWA
logos and itinerary; English to Spanish dictionary; and other material related to Carpenter's travels to Europe, the 1936
Olympics, and track-and-field events
circa 1935-1937
Language of Material: English.
box 2, box 4, box 5
Clippings regarding Ken Carpenter; the 1936 Olympics; Los Angeles and Compton local news; track-and-field and other sporting
events
1934-1939; undated
