Inventory of the Department of Consumer Affairs - State Athletic Commission Records
Processed by Michael Gabbe-Gross and Archives Staff
California State Archives
1020 "O" Street
Sacramento, California 95814
Phone: (916) 653-2246
Fax: (916) 653-7363
Email: ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov
URL: http://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/
© 2010
California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.
Inventory of the Department of Consumer Affairs - State Athletic Commission Records
Collection numbers: F3920, R121, F2191, F2192, F2195, F2197, F2198-F2200, F2201, F2200, F2202-F2203, F2205, F2206, F2207-F2208,
F2214, F2215, F2219, F2220, F2221, F2222-F2223, F2224, F2225, F2226, F2227-F2228, F2229, F2230, F2231, F2233A
California State Archives
Office of the Secretary of State
Sacramento, California
- Processed by:
- Michael Gabbe-Gross and Archives Staff
- Date Completed:
- October 2010
- Encoded by:
- Lisa DeHope
© 2010 California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Department of Consumer Affairs - State Athletic Commission Records
Dates: 1913-1934
Collection number: F3920, R121, F2191, F2192, F2195, F2197, F2198-F2200, F2201, F2200, F2202-F2203, F2205, F2206, F2207-F2208, F2214, F2215,
F2219, F2220, F2221, F2222-F2223, F2224, F2225, F2226, F2227-F2228, F2229, F2230, F2231, F2233A
Creator:
Department of Consumer Affairs - State Athletic Commission;
Department of Professional and Vocational Standards - State Athletic Commission;
Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs - Division of Athletics;
State Athletic Commission
Collection Size:
35 Cubic Feet and 38 bound volumes
Repository:
California State Archives
Abstract: The State Athletic Commission was created by an initiative measure submitted to and approved by the people of California on
November 4, 1924. The records of the State Athletic Commission consist of 30.5 cubic feet of textual materials dating from
1925 to 1991 from the Commission's time as part of the Department of Professional and Vocational Standards and the Department
of Consumer Affairs. This record group consists of licenses to wrestle or box in the state of California, reports on the events,
and correspondence between the Commission and others involved with these sports.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Administrative Information
Access
A number of records in this record group are restricted under the Information Practices Act because they contain personal
information, or under the Public Records Act (PRA) as investigative records per Government Code section 6254(f).
However, under California Government Code section 12237, after January 1, 2005, all items 75 years old or older that are on
deposit in the State Archives shall be accessible to the public. This code section applies to items in the custody of the
State Archives and any item deposited in the State Archives after January 1, 2005.
Publication Rights
For permission to reproduce or publish, please consult California State Archives staff. Permission for reproduction or publication
is given on behalf of the California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, as the owner of the physical
items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement that may arise from reproduction or publication
of materials from the California State Archives' collections.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Department of Consumer Affairs - State Athletic Commission Records, [ID number].[box and folder
number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.
Acquisition and Custodial History
The California State Archives acquired the Dept. of Consumer Affairs - State Athletic Commission Records according to state
law.
Administrative History
During the 1850s, California's early legislators passed laws making professional boxing and wrestling illegal. In 1899, boxing
and wrestling were legal under controlled conditions, however, by 1914, legislation made professional combative sports illegal
once again.
The State Athletic Commission was created by an initiative measure submitted to and approved by the people of California on
November 4, 1924. The Commission membership originally consisted of three persons appointed by the Governor for a term of
four years. In 1941, following an election approving a constitutional amendment, the Legislature adopted provisions of the
Business and Professions Code that revised and consolidated the laws relating to boxing and wrestling. At this time, the Commission
was expanded to its present membership of five members whose four-year terms expire on a staggered basis. There are no licensee
members on the Commission.
The 1929 law that created the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs provided for a Division of Athletics to give administrative
support to the Commission (Ch. 264,
Statutes 1929). In 1946, the Commission and the Division were transferred to the Department of Professional and Vocational Standards
(Ch. 114,
Statutes 1946). In 1971 the Department of Professional and Vocational Standards became the Department of Consumer Affairs (Ch. 716,
Statutes 1971).
The Commission has the sole direction, management, and control of professional and amateur boxing matches and wrestling exhibitions
held within the State of California. The regulatory activities of the Commission protect the public, contestants, and State
Government from monetary losses due to fraudulent promotional practices and improper collection and verification of attendance
revenue. Contestants in boxing and full-contact karate are protected from serious injury and death by preventing mismatches
and ensuring proper medical examinations. The Commission also has the sole power to license all clubs conducting boxing and
wrestling shows, and all professionals and amateurs who participate in these sports.
The Commission requires, in addition to a license fee, bonds adequate to cover refunds, payments to contestants, officials
and taxes due to be posted before any club may hold boxing or wrestling shows. Each participant must be licensed before taking
part, including managers, matchmakers, timekeepers, and announcers. Ticket sellers, doormen, ushers, and box office employees
must be likewise licensed, but no fee is required of them.
Scope and Content
The records of the State Athletic Commission consist of 30.5 cubic feet of textual materials dating from 1925 to 1991 from
the Commission's time as part of the Department of Professional and Vocational Standards and the Department of Consumer Affairs.
This record group consists of licenses to wrestle or box in the state of California, reports on the events, and correspondence
between the Commission and others involved with these sports.
The earliest records of the State Athletic Commission date from 1925 to 1946. The Club Tax Journals, Account Books, and Fees
Received Journals document the financial activities of the Commission, and consist of bound volumes listing fees and taxes
collected from licensed individuals and athletic clubs. The majority of the records from this time period include bound volumes
and textual material related to licensing boxers, wrestlers, managers, physicians, referees, seconds, timekeepers, and others
involved in organized wrestling and boxing. Also of interest is the Correspondence series, which contains correspondence
between the Commission and various professional organizations.
The records from the period covered by the Commission as part of the Department of Professional and Vocational Standards span
from 1946 to 1963 and include three record series: Investigation Files, Transcripts, and Revenue Reports. Investigative Files
contain the majority of the records for this time period. Licenses were required in order for an individual to wrestle or
box and these reports reveal who took the necessary steps to become licensed in California. Fans of wrestling and boxing of
this era would be able to recognize the names and faces of many famous applicants. The transcripts come from the daily meetings
and business of the Commission. Revenue reports are monthly reports on ticket sales, shows, and financial records.
The records of the Commission as part of the Department of Consumer Affairs span from 1955 to 1991 and are organized similarly
to those under the Department of Professional and Vocational Standards. The majority of the collection consists of License
Files for boxers and wrestlers and the remainder is Correspondence. The applications of 658 wrestlers and over 1,000 boxers
can be found in the License Files series. The Correspondence spans from 1968 to 1977 and includes discussions between the
Commission, the World Boxing Council (WBC), and the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) with regard to establishing uniform
standards nationwide.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Dept. of Consumer Affairs - State Athletic Commission
Boxing
Wrestling
Sport, politics, and culture
Boxing Law and legislation
Wrestling Law and legislation
State Athletic Commission
1925-1959
Physical Description: 59 file folders, 38 volumes
R121.5(1)
Series 1
Control Ledger
1925-1927
Physical Description: 1 volume
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by year.
Scope and Content
This volume tracks the Commission's income, expenditures, revolving fund, and financial reports for each year.
F2233A:28-30
Series 2
License Journals
1925-1929
Physical Description: 3 volumes
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by year.
Scope and Content
The series consists of listings of licenses issued by the Commission. Includes entry number, name and address of applicant,
manager's name, weight, date issued, and license number. Included in the lists are boxers, wrestlers, managers, referees,
announcers, timekeepers, physicians, and promoters.
F2190
Series 3
Annual Reports
1925-1932
Physical Description: 1 file folder
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by year.
Scope and Content
Annual reports to the Governor relating to a wide range of Commission activities.
F2233A:1-18
Series 4
Numerical Lists of Boxing and Wrestling Participants
1926-1927
Physical Description: 18 volumes
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by year.
Scope and Content
Numerical lists of boxing and wrestling participants licensed and regulated by the Commission. Includes entry number, name
and address of participants, date license issued, and remarks. For boxers, additional data includes manager's name, ring weight,
and receipt number. Club information also contains value and date of bonds, lease, certificate of incorporation, and fee paid.
Types of participants include boxers, wrestlers, managers, physicians, referees, seconds, timekeepers, trainers, clubs, and
promoters.
R121.3(1-3)
Series 5
Club Tax Journals
1926-1935
Physical Description: 3 volumes
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by year.
Scope and Content
A listing of fees collected by the Commission from athletic clubs. Includes club name, address, date of tax, and amount paid.
The tax amounted to 5 percent of club event.
F2233A:27; R121.4(1-2)
Series 6
Account Books
1926-1936
Physical Description: 3 volumes
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by name of club and chronologically thereunder.
Scope and Content
Records of financial transactions of the Commission relating to collection of fees from boxing and wrestling matches. Includes
name of club, sport involved, date of entry, license number, name of participants, date of event/contest, total receipts,
and amount paid.
F2233A:39-40
Series 7
Suspension Books
1929-1930
Physical Description: 2 volumes
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by year.
Scope and Content
Lists of boxers suspended indefinitely. Includes the name, city of residence, and license number of each boxer, as well as
the reason for their suspension - usually due to injury. Also included are lists of boxers who were ill or unavailable during
this time period.
F2191
Series 8
Minutes and Hearings
1931-1945
Physical Description: 4 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by year.
Scope and Content
Minutes of Commission meetings and hearings relating to contracts and agreements with athletes, settling of conflicts between
athletes and managers, setting dates for athletic events, applications for licenses, resolving outcome of fights, protests
over issuance of licenses for women wrestlers, penalties imposed on athletes, and suspension periods.
F2193
Series 9
Inspector's Reports
1937-1947
Physical Description: 1 file folder
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by year.
Scope and Content
Reports of Commission inspectors relating to specific events. Includes date, place, date and place of event, names, license
numbers and weights of contestants, number of tickets sold, amount of receipts, and number of complementary tickets furnished.
Referee and physician reports are attached plus information on athlete's contract, salary, and total purse.
F2220
Series 10
Wrestling License and Renewal Applications
1936
Physical Description: 6 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by year and alphabetically thereunder by wrestler's name.
Scope and Content
License and renewal applications for wrestlers. Includes receipt number and date, approved date, license number, wrestler's
name and address, past and present occupation, physical description, age, birth date and place, marital status, citizenship,
manager's name and address, nature of contract, date, and length, fingerprints, and photo ID.
F2214, F2222-F2223
Series 11
Boxing License and Renewal Applications
1934-1948
Physical Description: 6 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by year and alphabetically thereunder by boxer's name.
Scope and Content
License and renewal applications for boxers. Includes boxer's name, address, and occupation, physical description, place and
date of birth, marital status, citizenship, references, manager's name and address, arrest record, health status, fingerprints,
and photo identification.
F2225, F2227-F2231
Series 12
License Renewals and Applications
1937
Physical Description: 8 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged by type of license and alphabetically thereunder by applicant.
Scope and Content
Applications and renewals for licenses for trainers, boxing and wrestling referees, managers, physicians, announcers, and
timekeepers. Includes name of applicant, ID photo, dates received and approved, license number (for renewals), address, occupation,
physical description, nativity, marital status, experience and qualifications, birth date, fee amount, race, citizenship,
and fingerprints.
F2233A:31-38
Series 13
Fees Received Journals
1925-1932
Physical Description: 8 volumes
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by year.
Scope and Content
Monthly listing of fees received by the Commission. Includes date, claimant name, job classification, and amount of fee paid.
Fees were received from clubs, referees, athletes, managers, physicians, timekeepers, trainers, promoters, and seconds.
See Appendix B for ID numbers
Series 14
Correspondence
1931-1959
Physical Description: 31 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged by type of correspondence and thereunder chronologically.
Scope and Content
Correspondence of the Commission relating to a wide variety of topics. Includes correspondence with professional organizations
like the National Boxing Association, the National Wrestling Association, the Federal Athletic Club, and the Hawaiian Territorial
Boxing Commission. Major subjects include regulation of managers and promoters; injuries; boxing rules and regulations; trainer's
examinations; medical care; boxing clubs; revocation of licenses; collection of fees; suspensions; criminal records; medical
examinations; contract disputes; supervision of inspectors; and legislation.
For a list of Correspondence, please see Appendix B of the Master Finding Aid at the California State Archives.
F2219
Series 15
Investigation Files
1939-1941
Physical Description: 2 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by year.
Scope and Content
This series consists of notes, hearing transcripts, resolutions, correspondence, articles of incorporation, news clippings,
and other material related to the Commission's investigation of discrimination against African-American boxers at the Hollywood
Legion Stadium in Los Angeles.
Dept. of Professional and Vocational Standards - Athletic Commission
1946-1985
Physical Description: 16 cubic feet and 29 file folders
F3920:1-189
Series 1
Investigation Files
1955-1985
Physical Description: 14 cubic feet
Arrangement
Arranged by case file number.
Access Information
Records in this series that are less than 75 years old are RESTRICTED under the Public Records Act (PRA) as investigative
records per Government Code section 6254(f).
Scope and Content
Investigation files of boxers, wrestlers, managers, clubs, and others involved in the sport. These files contain information
about boxing in California during the 1950's and 1960's, and illustrate the State's role in regulating the sport. Includes
boxers' license applications and renewals with photographs attached. Occupation, age, and medical records are provided, as
well as Bureau of Investigation reports (rap sheets), criminal activity reports and police records, parole records, fingerprint
cards and win-loss cards for each boxer. Files also contain correspondence between the State Athletic Commission and individuals
under investigation. Investigations include the Cox Report, a study commissioned in 1955 by the Governor to study abuses within
boxing and wrestling. Ninety-five percent of the files date from 1955 to 1966.
F3920:190-228
Series 2
Transcripts
1946-1963
Physical Description: 2 cubic feet
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date of hearing.
Access Information
Records in this series that are less than 75 years old are RESTRICTED under the Public Records Act (PRA) as investigative
records per Government Code section 6254(f).
Scope and Content
Transcripts of meetings, hearings, and proceedings of the California State Athletic Commission. Subject matter covers boxing,
crime, and safety in the sport. Transcripts include Commission meetings, boxer, manager, and referee suspensions, disputed
matches, and death and injury in the ring. Also includes testimony taken in regards to the Cox report of 1955.
F3920:229-252
Series 3
Revenue Reports
1946-1960
Physical Description: 24 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by month.
Scope and Content
Monthly revenue reports of boxing and wrestling clubs and arenas in California. Contains lists of shows and attendance figures.
Files are grouped by month; each file contains multiple years' records for a particular month.
F3920:259-263
Series 4
Agendas
1957-1959,
1961,
1963-1964
Physical Description: 5 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.
Scope and Content
Agendas of the Athletic Commission. Includes some minutes with a complete file of minutes for the year.
Dept. of Consumer Affairs - State Athletic Commission
1959-1991
Physical Description: 14.5 cubic feet and 6 file folders
R121.1. Box 1/1-Box 3/11
Series 1
License Files - Wrestlers
1959-1989
Physical Description: 2.5 cubic feet
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by last name.
Access Information
Records in this series that are less than 75 years old are RESTRICTED as per Information Practices Act, as they contain personal
information regarding the various wrestlers and boxers such as medical reports, addresses, phone numbers, photographs, etc.
Scope and Content
License Files include wrestlers' license applications and renewals with photographs attached. Occupation, age, addresses,
ring names, emergency contacts, phone numbers, and medical records are provided, as well as Bureau of Investigation reports
(rap sheets), criminal activity reports and police records, parole records, and fingerprint cards for each wrestler.
See Appendix A of the Master Finding Aid at the California State Archives for an alphabetical name index for Wrestlers.
R121.2, Box 3/12 - Box 15/3
Series 2
License Files - Boxers
1959-1991
Physical Description: 12 cubic feet
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by last name.
Access Information
Records in this series that are less than 75 years old are RESTRICTED as per Information Practices Act, as they contain personal
information regarding the various wrestlers and boxers such as medical reports, addresses, phone numbers, photographs, etc.
Scope and Content
License Files include boxers' license applications and renewals with photographs attached. Occupation, age, addresses, ring
names, emergency contacts, phone numbers, and medical records are provided, as well as Bureau of Investigation reports (rap
sheets), criminal activity reports and police records, parole records, fingerprint cards and win-loss cards for each boxer.
F3920:253-258
Series 3
Correspondence with Boxing Organizations
1968-1977
Physical Description: 6 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically within each organization.
Scope and Content
Correspondence between the State Athletic Commission and the World Boxing Council (WBC) and the North American Boxing Federation
(NABF). Significant documentation about the attempt to establish international uniformity in the ranking of boxers and the
officiating of boxing contests. Documents the genesis of the World Boxing Council. Includes correspondence relating to disputed
boxing matches. Four file folders contain W.B.C. correspondence; two file folders contain N.A.B.F. correspondence.