VCU James Branch Cabell Library
Hank Wolfe papers
Wolfe, Hank
M 171
/repositories/5/resources/75
10.4 Linear Feet
1927-1981
English
.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions on access.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged by series and topically therein. The scrapbooks have been separated from the main collection and are located in the oversize collections area. Photographs will be removed to the University Photograph Collection.
Biographical/Historical Information
Hank Wolfe (12 January 1907-3 February 1981), newspaperman and athletic organizer, was born in Baltimore, Maryland. At the age of six he moved to Richmond, where he remained for the rest of his life. During his youth he issued a monthly newsletter for the Rotary Boys' Club and played on the Club's varsity basketball team. Wolfe graduate from John Marshall High School in 1924 and the Massey Business College in 1926. Following graduation he worked for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway and as a part-time reporter for the Richmond News Leader. In 1936 he became a full-time sportswriter for the paper, and in 1947 he became copy editor. He stayed with the paper for 56 years, retiring in 1978. From 1952 to 1962 he also edited The Reflector, the monthly journal of the Richmond Jewish Community Center. In the 1930s, Wolfe organized the Richmond Athletic Commission and for several years was the secretary of the Richmond Baseball Commission. He was responsible for the establishment of the Richmond Jewish Athletic Hall of Fame. From 1944 to 1968, Wolfe was State Commissioner of the Virginia Amateur Softball Association. During that time he introduced the use of 10", 12", 14" and 16" softballs in tournament play, a tournament for college teams and one for mixed team play. Because of his efforts as an organizer, the City of Richmond became known as the "Softball Tournament Capital of the World." National Softball Week started in 1951 and the National Softball Hall of Fame proposed in 1956 were his ideas. Wolfe was a member of Temple Beth-El, the Richmond Jewish Community Center, the American Association of Retired Persons, and the Richmond Institute of Lifetime Learning. He was an honorary member of the United States Slo-Pitch Softball Association. He and his wife, Dinah, had three daughters.
Preferred Citation
Box/Folder, Hank Wolfe Papers, M 171, Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University
Scope and Contents
The collection contains materials relating to Wolfe's career as a newspaperman and work as an athletic organizer in Richmond, Virginia, from 1932 to 1978. In addition to biographical materials, there are records relating to his service on the Richmond Baseball Commission in the mid-1930s, his membership in the Richmond Newspaper Guild and his organization of the Richmond Jewish Athletic Hall of Fame for 1954-1957. There are lists of Virginia athletic championships maintained by Wolfe and some extraneous pieces relating to sports in Richmond. The collection has one folder of correspondence and contracts concerning Wolfe's employment as a part-time territorial scout for the Cleveland Indians Baseball Club from 1951 to 1961. The bulk of the papers relate to Wolfe's tenure as State Commissioner for the Virginia Amateur Softball Association from 1944 to 1968. There are ten scrapbooks (1927-1966) that Wolfe maintained of his sports column for the Richmond News Leader.
Use Restrictions
No restrictions on use.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Dinah previous hitWolfe next hit in 1981.
Newspapers -- Sections, columns, etc. -- Sports.
Sports journalism -- Virginia -- Richmond.
Athletics -- History -- Virginia -- Richmond
Softball -- History -- Virginia -- Richmond
Sportswriters -- Virginia -- Richmond
Newspaper editors -- Virginia -- Richmond
Virginia Amateur Softball Association -- Archives
Wolfe, Hank -- Archives
Richmond Baseball Commission (Va.) -- Archives
Richmond Jewish Athletic Hall of Fame (Va.) -- Archives
Richmond Newspaper Guild (Va.) -- Archives
Series 1: Biographical Information, General Sports and Richmond, 1932-1961/repositories/5/archival_objects/7979Biographical Information, Sale of Sports Library/repositories/5/archival_objects/79831Correspondence and Contracts, Cleveland Indians, 1951-1961/repositories/5/archival_objects/79841Richmond Baseball Commission, 1932-1933, 1955/repositories/5/archival_objects/79851Virginia Athletic Championship Teams Lists, 1936-1947/repositories/5/archival_objects/79861Richmond Newspaper Guild/repositories/5/archival_objects/79871Miscellaneous Richmond Sports Materials, 1936-1952/repositories/5/archival_objects/79881Richmond Jewish Athletic Hall of Fame, 1954/repositories/5/archival_objects/79891Richmond Jewish Athletic Hall of Fame, 1955/repositories/5/archival_objects/79901Richmond Jewish Athletic Hall of Fame, 1957/repositories/5/archival_objects/79911Underdog Richmond/repositories/5/archival_objects/79921Southern Coach and Athlete, 1943-1944/repositories/5/archival_objects/79931Southern Coach and Athlete, 1944-1945/repositories/5/archival_objects/79941Series 2: Softball, 1942-1968/repositories/5/archival_objects/7980Richmond Softball Association, 1942-1946/repositories/5/archival_objects/79951Amateur Softball (ASA) Hall of Fame/repositories/5/archival_objects/79961ASA / United States Slo-Pitch Association Controversy, 1974-1976/repositories/5/archival_objects/79971ASA National Championship, 1967/repositories/5/archival_objects/79981World Slo-Pitch Softball Championship (Women), 1961/repositories/5/archival_objects/79991Virginia Amateur Softball Association (VASA)/repositories/5/archival_objects/80001VASA, 1945/repositories/5/archival_objects/80011VASA, 1946/repositories/5/archival_objects/80021VASA, 1947-1948/repositories/5/archival_objects/80031VASA, 1949/repositories/5/archival_objects/80041VASA, 1949-1950/repositories/5/archival_objects/80051VASA Forms/repositories/5/archival_objects/80061VASA National Championship Bid, 1968/repositories/5/archival_objects/80071VASA National Softball Week/repositories/5/archival_objects/80081VASA Photographs/repositories/5/archival_objects/80091VASA Programs, 1942-1964/repositories/5/archival_objects/80101VASA Programs, 1965-1969/repositories/5/archival_objects/80111VASA Professionalism Threat, 1962-1963/repositories/5/archival_objects/80121VASA Publication by Wolfe/repositories/5/archival_objects/80131VASA Records/repositories/5/archival_objects/80142VASA Men and Women, 1945/repositories/5/archival_objects/80152VASA Men, 1946/repositories/5/archival_objects/80162VASA Women, 1947/repositories/5/archival_objects/80172VASA Men, 1947/repositories/5/archival_objects/80182VASA Men, 1948/repositories/5/archival_objects/80192VASA Women, 1948/repositories/5/archival_objects/80202VASA Men, 1949/repositories/5/archival_objects/80212VASA Women, 1949/repositories/5/archival_objects/80222VASA Men, 1950/repositories/5/archival_objects/80232VASA Sunday School, 1950/repositories/5/archival_objects/80242VASA Women, 1950/repositories/5/archival_objects/80252VASA Women, 1951/repositories/5/archival_objects/80262VASA, 1951/repositories/5/archival_objects/80272VASA Men, 1951/repositories/5/archival_objects/80282VASA Sunday School, 1951/repositories/5/archival_objects/80292VASA College, 1952/repositories/5/archival_objects/80302VASA Central Atlantic Regional, 1952/repositories/5/archival_objects/80312VASA Men, 1952/repositories/5/archival_objects/80322VASA Men, 1952/repositories/5/archival_objects/80332VASA Sunday School, 1952/repositories/5/archival_objects/80342VASA Women, 1952/repositories/5/archival_objects/80352VASA Women, 1953/repositories/5/archival_objects/80362VASA Servicemen, 1953/repositories/5/archival_objects/80372VASA Sunday School, 1953/repositories/5/archival_objects/80382VASA Men, 1953/repositories/5/archival_objects/80392VASA Men, 1953/repositories/5/archival_objects/80402VASA Jewish, 1954/repositories/5/archival_objects/80412VASA College, 1954/repositories/5/archival_objects/80422VASA Men, 1954/repositories/5/archival_objects/80432VASA Men, 1954/repositories/5/archival_objects/80442VASA Servicemen, 1954/repositories/5/archival_objects/80452VASA Sunday School, 1954/repositories/5/archival_objects/80462VASA Women, 1954/repositories/5/archival_objects/80472VASA Women, 1954/repositories/5/archival_objects/80482VASA Women, 1954/repositories/5/archival_objects/80492VASA Jewish, 1955/repositories/5/archival_objects/80502VASA Slow Pitch, 1955/repositories/5/archival_objects/80512VASA College, 1955/repositories/5/archival_objects/80522VASA Women, 1955/repositories/5/archival_objects/80532VASA Central Atlantic Regional, 1955/repositories/5/archival_objects/80542VASA Men, 1956/repositories/5/archival_objects/80552VASA Central Atlantic Regional, 1956/repositories/5/archival_objects/80562VASA Women, 1956/repositories/5/archival_objects/80572VASA Invitational Mixed, 1957-1966/repositories/5/archival_objects/80582VASA College, 1957/repositories/5/archival_objects/80592VASA Men, 1957/repositories/5/archival_objects/80602VASA Women's Invitational, 1957/repositories/5/archival_objects/80612VASA Slow Pitch Mixed, 1957/repositories/5/archival_objects/80622VASA Slow Pitch Mixed, 1958/repositories/5/archival_objects/80632VASA Women's Invitational, 1958/repositories/5/archival_objects/80642VASA Women, 1958/repositories/5/archival_objects/80652VASA Men, 1959/repositories/5/archival_objects/80662VASA Women's Invitational, 1959/repositories/5/archival_objects/80672VASA Women, 1959/repositories/5/archival_objects/80682VASA Industrial Slow Pitch, 1960/repositories/5/archival_objects/80692VASA Women's Invitational, 1960/repositories/5/archival_objects/80702VASA Industrial Slow Pitch, 1961/repositories/5/archival_objects/80712VASA Women's Invitational, 1961/repositories/5/archival_objects/80722VASA 12" Men, 1961-1966/repositories/5/archival_objects/80732VASA College, 1962/repositories/5/archival_objects/80742VASA Servicemen, 1963/repositories/5/archival_objects/80752VASA 14" Outseam, 1963/repositories/5/archival_objects/80762VASA Men, 1964/repositories/5/archival_objects/80772VASA 14" Outseam, 1964/repositories/5/archival_objects/80782VASA Industrial Slow Pitch, 1964/repositories/5/archival_objects/80792VASA Industrial Slow Pitch, 1965/repositories/5/archival_objects/80802VASA 14" Outseam, 1966/repositories/5/archival_objects/80812VASA Modified Speed, 1965-1968/repositories/5/archival_objects/80822VASA Invitational Mixed, 1967/repositories/5/archival_objects/80832VASA 14" Outseam, 1967/repositories/5/archival_objects/80842VASA Industrial Slow Pitch, 1967-1968/repositories/5/archival_objects/80852VASA Invitational Slow Pitch, 1967-1968/repositories/5/archival_objects/80862VASA 14" Outseam, 1968/repositories/5/archival_objects/80872VASA Invitational Mixed, 1968/repositories/5/archival_objects/80882VASA 10" Slow Pitch, 1968/repositories/5/archival_objects/80892VASA 14" Slow Pitch, 1968/repositories/5/archival_objects/80902VASA Men, 1968/repositories/5/archival_objects/80912VASA 4-Ball, 1968/repositories/5/archival_objects/80922VASA 10" Slow Pitch, 1968/repositories/5/archival_objects/80932VASA Women, 1968/repositories/5/archival_objects/80942VASA Trophies, 1966-1968/repositories/5/archival_objects/80952World Open Slow Pitch Tournament, 1953-1959/repositories/5/archival_objects/80962World Open Slow Pitch Tournament, 1960-1961/repositories/5/archival_objects/80972Series 3: Scrapbooks, 1918-1981/repositories/5/archival_objects/7981Clippings, 1927-1932/repositories/5/archival_objects/80983Clippings, 1932-1934/repositories/5/archival_objects/80993Clippings, 1934-1936/repositories/5/archival_objects/81004Clippings, 1936-1938/repositories/5/archival_objects/81014Clippings, 1938-1940/repositories/5/archival_objects/81025Clippings, 1940-1941/repositories/5/archival_objects/81035Clippings, 1941-1943/repositories/5/archival_objects/81046Clippings, 1946-1945/repositories/5/archival_objects/81056Clippings, 1945-1957/repositories/5/archival_objects/81067Clippings, 1957-1981/repositories/5/archival_objects/81077Series 4: Printed Materials, Photographs, and Ephemera, 1918-1980/repositories/5/archival_objects/7982Baseball Player Photographs, 1940/repositories/5/archival_objects/81088Baseball Schedule of Games, 1952-1953/repositories/5/archival_objects/81098Baseball Scoring Sheets, undated/repositories/5/archival_objects/81108Baseball Tournament Souvenir Programs, 1959, 1961-1963/repositories/5/archival_objects/81118Boy's Club of Richmond Annual Report, 1924/repositories/5/archival_objects/81128Coach and Athlete Magazine, 1973/repositories/5/archival_objects/81138Constitution of the Amateur Softball Association of America, 1967/repositories/5/archival_objects/81148Football Players Photographs, 1940, undated/repositories/5/archival_objects/81158Handbook of the National Association of Approved Basketball Officials, 1948/repositories/5/archival_objects/81168Humor Newspaper Clippings, 1974, 1977-1980, undated/repositories/5/archival_objects/81178The Jeffersonian, 1964/repositories/5/archival_objects/81188Local Baseball Player Newspaper Clippings, 1940/repositories/5/archival_objects/81198Local Baseball Player Newspaper Clippings, 1940/repositories/5/archival_objects/81208The Messenger - Boy's Club of Richmond Newsletter, 1922-1928/repositories/5/archival_objects/81218Methodist Institute Basketball Teams Newspaper Clippings, 1922-1924/repositories/5/archival_objects/81228Miscellaneous, undated/repositories/5/archival_objects/81238Miscellaneous Photocopied Newspaper Articles, 1918, 1921-1924, undated/repositories/5/archival_objects/81248Miscellaneous Photocopied Newspaper Articles, 1925-1926/repositories/5/archival_objects/81258Miscellaneous Photocopied Newspaper Articles, 1927, 1949, 1962-1971/repositories/5/archival_objects/81268Miscellaneous Sport Team Paperwork, 1924-1927, 1946-1947, undated/repositories/5/archival_objects/81278Newspaper Clipping, 1923/repositories/5/archival_objects/81288Pocket Dictionary, undated/repositories/5/archival_objects/81298Rotary Boy's Club Basketball Team Photographs, 1923, 1927/repositories/5/archival_objects/81308Third Annual Basketball Tournament Program, 1946/repositories/5/archival_objects/81318Virginia Jewish News, 1925, undated/repositories/5/archival_objects/81328Wolfe, Hank Photograph, 1935/repositories/5/archival_objects/81338