Interview with Press Whelan, September 27, 2019
Project: University of Kentucky Athletics: Track and Field Oral History Project
Interview Summary
Press Whelan talks about his running career in high school and at the University of Kentucky. He talks about his coaching career, especially as head coach of track at UK. He talks about star athletes on his team like Jim Green, Bill Lightsey, and Vic Nelson. He describes how he transformed UK's track program, racism and integration in athletics at the university, and his life after coaching at UK.Interview Accession
Interviewee Name
Interviewer Name
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Interview Keyword
State championships Athletic scholarships Program development National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-American athletes World records Mentors Jim Green Bill Lightsey Vic Nelson Bernie Shively Bob Johnson Harry Lancaster Integration Segregation Racial climates Track meets Teachers Record holders Personalities Program exposure Kentucky Relays Kentucky Relays CommitteeInterview LC Subject
High school athletes Track and field athletes. Track and field. Cross-country running Cross-country runners Athletic directors Coaches (Athletics) College athletes College athletes--Recruiting College sports--Coaching University of Kentucky--Sports--History National Collegiate Athletic Association Southeastern Conference Program budgeting. Track and field--Coaching African American track and field athletes African American trailblazers Discrimination in sports Publicity.Interview Rights
All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.Interview Usage
Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.Restriction
Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.
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Whelan, Press Interview by Dennis Emery. 27 Sep. 2019. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
Whelan, P. (2019, September 27). Interview by D. Emery. University of Kentucky Athletics: Track and Field Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.
Whelan, Press, interview by Dennis Emery. September 27, 2019, University of Kentucky Athletics: Track and Field Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
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Persistent Link for this Record: https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt78twftlkdqf