Identity elements
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Collection
Title
John Underwood papers
Date(s)
- circa 1940s-2000s (Creation)
Extent
19.50 linear feet (18 record storage cartons, 1 document case, 1 flat archival box)
Name of creator
Biographical history
John Underwood (1934-2023) was a well-known sports writer based out of Miami, Florida. He began writing for The Miami News while he was in high school and later went on to graduate from University of Miami in 1956 with a Bachelor's degree in English. Afterwards, he would write for The Herald and Sports Illustrated, the latter of where he achieved the most renown. He continued writing for Sports Illustrated up until his resignation in 1985 to pursue freelancing full time. He also collaborated with famed baseball player Ted Williams to write three books, My Turn at Bat: The Story of My Life, The Science of Hitting, and Fishing "The Big Three," as well as collaborated with Arthur and Peyton Manning to write Manning.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
This collection contains articles, screenplays, research notes, drafts, and other writings by John Underwood, as well as research files, audiovisual materials, and clippings. His research topics included former Florida State Senator George A. Smathers, sports, Disney, and South Florida. His collection also contains correspondence, his personal files, photograph albums, scrapbooks, his University of Miami files, and ephemera.
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
This collection is unprocessed but open for research.
Physical access
This collection is kept in an off-campus storage facility. Please contact Special Collections at asc.library@miami.edu with the boxes you are interested in prior to your visit, and allow up to 1 week for delivery of materials.
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
John Underwood Papers Finding Aid © 2024 University of Miami. Requests to reproduce or publish materials from this collection should be directed to asc.library@miami.edu.
Languages of the material
- English
Scripts of the material
- Latin
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Immediate source of acquisition
Gift of Donna S. Underwood, 05-03-24.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
Accruals
Related materials elements
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related archival materials
The following books and periodicals were added to the cataloging backlog:
- Fishing "The Big Three" by John Underwood and Ted Williams, 1988
- My Turn at Bat: The Story of My Life by Ted Williams with John Underwood, 1988
- Manning: Archie and Peyton Manning with John Underwood, 2000
- Tales out of School: Joseph Fernandez's Crusade to Rescue America Education by Joseph A. Fernandez with John Underwood, 1993
- It's Only Me: The Ted Williams We Hardly Knew by John Underwood, 2005
- The Science of Hitting by Ted Williams and John Underwood, 1986
- Fifteen issues of Florida Trend Magazine featuring articles by John Underwood, 1992-1998
Related descriptions
Notes element
Specialized notes
Alternative identifier(s)
Description control element
Rules or conventions
Sources used
Archivist's note
Finding aid created by Yvette Yurubi, Processing Archivist, 06-10-24.
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Sports Illustrated (Subject)
- Smathers, George A. (George Armistead), 1913-2007 (Subject)