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VCU James Branch Cabell Library
Special Collections and Archives 901 Park AvenueRichmond, Virginia 23284
Business Number: (804) 828-1108
libjbcsca@vcu.edu
URL: https://www.library.vcu.edu/research-teaching/special-collections-and-archives/locations/#cabell
Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Administrative Information
Use Restrictions
No restrictions on use.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions on access.
Preferred Citation
Box/Folder, Hank Wolfe Papers, M 171, Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University
Acquisition Information
Gift of Dinah previous hitWolfe next hit in 1981.
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.
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.
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.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- Athletics -- History -- Virginia -- Richmond
- Newspaper editors -- Archives. -- Virginia -- Richmond
- Newspapers -- Sections, columns, etc. -- Sports.
- Richmond Baseball Commission (Va.) -- Archives
- Richmond Jewish Athletic Hall of Fame (Va.) -- Archives
- Richmond Newspaper Guild (Va.) -- Archives
- Softball -- History -- Virginia -- Richmond
- Sports journalism -- Virginia -- Richmond.
- Sportswriters -- Archives -- Virginia -- Richmond
- Virginia Amateur Softball Association -- Archives
- Wolfe, Hank -- Archives
Container List
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:1
Biographical Information, Sale of Sports Library
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:2
Correspondence and Contracts, Cleveland Indians, 1951-1961
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:3
Richmond Baseball Commission, 1932-1933, 1955
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:4
Virginia Athletic Championship Teams Lists, 1936-1947
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:5
Richmond Newspaper Guild
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:6
Miscellaneous Richmond Sports Materials, 1936-1952
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:7
Richmond Jewish Athletic Hall of Fame, 1954
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:8
Richmond Jewish Athletic Hall of Fame, 1955
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:9
Richmond Jewish Athletic Hall of Fame, 1957
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:10
Underdog Richmond
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:11
Southern Coach and Athlete, 1943-1944
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:12
Southern Coach and Athlete, 1944-1945
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:13
Richmond Softball Association, 1942-1946
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:14
Amateur Softball (ASA) Hall of Fame
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:15
ASA / United States Slo-Pitch Association Controversy, 1974-1976
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:16
ASA National Championship, 1967
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:17
World Slo-Pitch Softball Championship (Women), 1961
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:18
Virginia Amateur Softball Association (VASA)
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:19
VASA, 1945
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:20
VASA, 1946
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:21
VASA, 1947-1948
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:22
VASA, 1949
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:23
VASA, 1949-1950
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:24
VASA Forms
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:25
VASA National Championship Bid, 1968
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:26
VASA National Softball Week
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:27
VASA Photographs
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:28
VASA Programs, 1942-1964
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:29
VASA Programs, 1965-1969
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:30
VASA Professionalism Threat, 1962-1963
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 1:31
VASA Publication by Wolfe
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:1
VASA Records
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:2
VASA Men and Women, 1945
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:3
VASA Men, 1946
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:4
VASA Women, 1947
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:5
VASA Men, 1947
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:6
VASA Men, 1948
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:7
VASA Women, 1948
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:8
VASA Men, 1949
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:9
VASA Women, 1949
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:10
VASA Men, 1950
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:11
VASA Sunday School, 1950
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:12
VASA Women, 1950
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:13
VASA Women, 1951
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:14
VASA, 1951
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:15
VASA Men, 1951
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:16
VASA Sunday School, 1951
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:17
VASA College, 1952
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:18
VASA Central Atlantic Regional, 1952
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:19
VASA Men, 1952
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:20
VASA Men, 1952
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:21
VASA Sunday School, 1952
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:22
VASA Women, 1952
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:23
VASA Women, 1953
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:24
VASA Servicemen, 1953
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:25
VASA Sunday School, 1953
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:26
VASA Men, 1953
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:27
VASA Men, 1953
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:28
VASA Jewish, 1954
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:29
VASA College, 1954
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:30
VASA Men, 1954
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:31
VASA Men, 1954
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:32
VASA Servicemen, 1954
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:33
VASA Sunday School, 1954
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:34
VASA Women, 1954
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:35
VASA Women, 1954
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:36
VASA Women, 1954
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:37
VASA Jewish, 1955
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:38
VASA Slow Pitch, 1955
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:39
VASA College, 1955
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:40
VASA Women, 1955
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:41
VASA Central Atlantic Regional, 1955
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:42
VASA Men, 1956
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:43
VASA Central Atlantic Regional, 1956
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:44
VASA Women, 1956
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:45
VASA Invitational Mixed, 1957-1966
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:46
VASA College, 1957
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:47
VASA Men, 1957
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:48
VASA Women's Invitational, 1957
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:49
VASA Slow Pitch Mixed, 1957
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:50
VASA Slow Pitch Mixed, 1958
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:51
VASA Women's Invitational, 1958
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:52
VASA Women, 1958
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:53
VASA Men, 1959
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:54
VASA Women's Invitational, 1959
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:55
VASA Women, 1959
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:56
VASA Industrial Slow Pitch, 1960
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:57
VASA Women's Invitational, 1960
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:58
VASA Industrial Slow Pitch, 1961
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:59
VASA Women's Invitational, 1961
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:60
VASA 12" Men, 1961-1966
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:61
VASA College, 1962
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:62
VASA Servicemen, 1963
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:63
VASA 14" Outseam, 1963
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:64
VASA Men, 1964
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:65
VASA 14" Outseam, 1964
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:66
VASA Industrial Slow Pitch, 1964
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:67
VASA Industrial Slow Pitch, 1965
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:68
VASA 14" Outseam, 1966
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:69
VASA Modified Speed, 1965-1968
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:70
VASA Invitational Mixed, 1967
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:71
VASA 14" Outseam, 1967
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:72
VASA Industrial Slow Pitch, 1967-1968
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:73
VASA Invitational Slow Pitch, 1967-1968
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:74
VASA 14" Outseam, 1968
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:75
VASA Invitational Mixed, 1968
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:76
VASA 10" Slow Pitch, 1968
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:77
VASA 14" Slow Pitch, 1968
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:78
VASA Men, 1968
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:79
VASA 4-Ball, 1968
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:80
VASA 10" Slow Pitch, 1968
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:81
VASA Women, 1968
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:82
VASA Trophies, 1966-1968
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:83
World Open Slow Pitch Tournament, 1953-1959
- Mixed Materials Box-folder: 2:84
World Open Slow Pitch Tournament, 1960-1961
- Mixed Materials box: 3
Clippings, 1927-1932
- Mixed Materials box: 3
Clippings, 1932-1934
- Mixed Materials box: 4
Clippings, 1934-1936
- Mixed Materials box: 4
Clippings, 1936-1938
- Mixed Materials box: 5
Clippings, 1938-1940
- Mixed Materials box: 5
Clippings, 1940-1941
- Mixed Materials box: 6
Clippings, 1941-1943
- Mixed Materials box: 6
Clippings, 1946-1945
- Mixed Materials box: 7
Clippings, 1945-1957
- Mixed Materials box: 7
Clippings, 1957-1981
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Baseball Player Photographs, 1940
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Baseball Schedule of Games, 1952-1953
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Baseball Scoring Sheets, undated
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Baseball Tournament Souvenir Programs, 1959, 1961-1963
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Boy's Club of Richmond Annual Report, 1924
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Coach and Athlete Magazine , 1973
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Constitution of the Amateur Softball Association of America, 1967
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Football Players Photographs, 1940, undated
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Handbook of the National Association of Approved Basketball Officials, 1948
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Humor Newspaper Clippings, 1974, 1977-1980, undated
- Mixed Materials box: 8
The Jeffersonian , 1964
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Local Baseball Player Newspaper Clippings, 1940
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Local Baseball Player Newspaper Clippings, 1940
- Mixed Materials box: 8
The Messenger - Boy's Club of Richmond Newsletter, 1922-1928
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Methodist Institute Basketball Teams Newspaper Clippings, 1922-1924
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Miscellaneous, undated
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Miscellaneous Photocopied Newspaper Articles, 1918, 1921-1924, undated
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Miscellaneous Photocopied Newspaper Articles, 1925-1926
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Miscellaneous Photocopied Newspaper Articles, 1927, 1949, 1962-1971
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Miscellaneous Sport Team Paperwork, 1924-1927, 1946-1947, undated
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Newspaper Clipping, 1923
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Pocket Dictionary, undated
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Rotary Boy's Club Basketball Team Photographs, 1923, 1927
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Third Annual Basketball Tournament Program, 1946
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Virginia Jewish News, 1925, undated
- Mixed Materials box: 8
Wolfe, Hank Photograph, 1935