Fred Russell Papers
Abstract
The Fred Russell Papers, 1906-1997, consist of the writings and research files of sportswriter Frederick "Fred" McFerrin Russell, 1906-2003.
Dates
- Creation: 1906 - 1997
Conditions Governing Access
The physical materials from this collection may be viewed only in the reading room of Vanderbilt’s Special Collections and University Archives. Materials should be requested two to three days in advance to facilitate easier access. Contact specialcollections@vanderbilt.edu to schedule an appointment.
Biographical / Historical
Fred Russell (1906-2003), son of Mabel Lee McFerrin and John E. Russell was born on 27 August 1906 in Wartrace, Tennessee. Russell graduated from Vanderbilt Law School in 1929. In 1930, he became the sports editor of the “Nashville Banner” and remained in that role until the paper closed in 1998. The author of six books, Russell also wrote the “Pigskin Preview” for the “Saturday Evening Post” from 1949-1962. In 1956, Russell helped to initiate the Grantland Rice Scholarship, later renamed the Fred Russell-Grantland Rice Scholarship. Russell was a member of the Heisman Trophy Committee, president of the Football Writers Association of America and a member of several sports-related Halls of Fame. He served for nearly 30 years as chairman of the College Football Hall of Fame Honors Court, a group responsible for selecting College Football Hall of Fame members. Over his career he wrote over 12,000 sports columns under the title, "Sideline Sidelights". Russell died in Nashville, Tennessee on 26 January 2003.
Full Extent
62.64 Linear Feet (45 Paige boxes, 4 legal Hollingers, 5 letter Hollingers, 6 oversize boxes, 1 tall letter Hollinger, 1 oversize folder)
Language of Materials
English
- Title
- Finding Aid for the Fred Russell Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Vanderbilt University Special Collections and University Archives Repository
Special Collections Library
1101 19th Ave. S.
Nashville TN 37212 United States
specialcollections@vanderbilt.edu
About this Site
This site contains collection guides, or finding aids, to the archival collections held by Vanderbilt University Special Collections and University Archives, the History of Medicine Collection, and the Scarritt Bennett Center. Finding aids describe the context, arrangement, and structure of archival materials, allowing users to identify and request materials relevant to their research.
Requesting Materials
Each finding aid contains a link to request materials from the collections. Collections can also be requested by emailing the repository directly through the library website. Each repository has its own location, hours, and contact information. Please consult the repository with questions about using the materials. Collections are non-circulating and must be used in the repository’s reading room. In many cases, the collections are stored off-site and require advance notice for retrieval.