Reprint: Business Archives Section Newsletter, 1996

Not A Mickey Mouse Operation: Archiving Professional Sports in the Sunshine State by Edward S. Krajewski, Manager of Archives Florida Marlins, , &

As one of the most vibrant plays a direct role in obtaining permanent exhibit at the Dolphin entertainment regions in the United items for the archival collection. Training Facility and for showcase States, the Mini-Ft Lauderdale These units maintain a watchful at special events. area offers a wide variety of eye for any significant occurrences attractions. The Florida Marlins - particularly in game situations - Some of the more significant items baseball team, the Florida that need to be documented for preserved thus far include: Panthers hockey club, and the future reference. documentation of the Marlins quest Miami Dolphins football team are to obtain a three of the area’s most successful Naturally one can expect a certain franchise; artifacts from the Marlins competitors for South Florida's degree of variance from first no-hitter, tossed by entertainment dollar. organization to organization and on May 11, 1996; Panthers goalie from item-type to item-type in the John Vanbiesbrouck’s mask from Owned by H. Wayne Huizenga, transferal of materials to the their inaugural season; Dolphins the architect of the Blockbuster archives. Some departments, like jerseys and awards from 1966, Video business empire (which he the Marlins promotions staff, prefer their first season in the NFL; and recently sold), these three sports to send items on a monthly basis. the prestigious Super Bowl VII and organizations have created a Others, such as the Panthers Super Bowl VIII championship single archives to preserve the equipment staff, wait until the end trophies. history of their organizations and to of the season to turn over their capture their most memorable artifacts. Managing Sports History moments. This atypical tripartite Since the tri-teams place such department reports to the Vice With both the Marlins and the importance on their histories, the President of Broadcasting, who Panthers being relative young (four archives is relatively well- incidentally works for all three and three years old respectively), it supported. The archives has two teams as wet has been easier to identify and staff members working in a 1200 save significant documentation sq.ft. area, as well as maintaining Catching the Big Ones from those organizations’ origins displays at different office locales. One of the most enjoyable and and development During the off- Given their value to collectors, the rewarding aspects of serving as season each department from the records and artifacts are stored the tri-team's archivist is the teams will launder and reorganize securely in a single storage space. acquisition of sports documents their files in preparation for the and paraphernalia. Currently the upcoming season. The records All items are classified relative to primary function of this department which they no longer require in the organization they pertain to. is to preserve significant artifacts their files will be sent to the The grouping of artifacts by and records relating to the three archives for preservation. organization makes it easy for us teams, and to devise mini- to regulate the records, establish museums and halls of fame for use The Dolphins, on the other hand, control over storage, and retrieve at special events. have been a different story them when need be. altogether. More than 30 years old, I have been working since 1994 to the organization had never made it All information on our newly create an archival program to a priority to document its past. As acquired files and artifacts is successfully oversee these tasks. a result, I have been forced to catalogued on SNAP! for Windows Initially, in order to reach an retrieve pieces of their storied past to facilitate collections harmonious understanding with through an alumni program. Until management Information on items everyone in the tri-team realm recently the Dolphins had an already in the collection are about the archives goals I met with informal alumni group, but now the currently in the process of being each department director, getting team’s community relations transferred. Ultimately, this them to consciously think about department has formed an official approach will allow us to save time saving pertinent records and items alumni association. This exclusive and make consistent entries within for the archives collection. Each group assists the archives by each division when categorizing an organization’s equipment staff and loaning artifacts relating to their item. media/public relations department careers for display in our

1 Reprint: Business Archives Section Newsletter, 1996

Additional documents, mostly Fanfest, Dolphins Draft Day Party, information. And recently, I have periodicals, are scanned in an and Panthers Hockeyfest. My role begun fielding requests from area Electronic Filing System for easy has been to create vehicles (mini- museums who are interested in access and retrieval. As of now, museums, halls of fame) for borrowing items for special exhibits there are two PCs connected to showcasing various artifacts of their own. this system; ultimately, 1 would like relevant to each club’s history. In to have the media relations order to bring a breadth of material A Day Without Sports is Like a Day departments hooked up to the to these projects, I generally locate Without Sunshine system in order to utilize its and borrow objects from such Virtually every day our sports capabilities to the fullest external sources as collectors, franchises continue to make museums, coaches/players, and history and build tradition, and we Getting Their Money Back professional sports halls of fame. will continue to capture that tale as Use of the tri-team collection is it unfolds in the hopes of one day varied. Each of the three tens’ On occasion, I received special creating a museum which will tell offices currently features a requests from various the story of our organizations to sampling of distinctive items on organizational personnel who need the tens of millions of residents display for visitors and guests to to access files or artifacts in the and visitors that make South enjoy. Each organization also collection for business reasons. Florida so dynamic. conducts their own special events Additionally, fans contact the and fan celebrations - Marlins archives for team or artifact

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