CREATOR: Horton, Ralph (1921-1998)
SCOPE: The collection covers the range of American sports history and life, and is represented in runs and files of periodicals, newsletters, annuals, and monographs, as well as in a small collection of Horton's correspondence.
EXTENT: 3000 volumes; 20 linear feet of papers.
HISTORY: Ralph Horton was a writer and publisher in St. Louis for many years before his death in 1998. As a result of his interest in sports history, he set about reprinting many of the annual guides to the major professional athletic leagues, for baseball, football, basketball, and hockey. His interest in general sports and sports history led him to collect deeply in the entire field. The collection was donated to the Mercantile Library in several gifts from the mid-1990s, and today the collection gives comprehensive depth to additional sports history holdings in the Mercantile Library.
ACCESS: Special Collection M-129 is currently uncatalogued; an on-site inventory exists. Please contact the staff in advance of your visit to coordinate access to these materials for research purposes.
When available, this collection is available for on-site use only in the Rare Book and Manuscripts Reading Room. Some of the material in Special Collection M-129 may be photocopied, digitally scanned or photographed, subject to condition. For collections marked limited access, researchers are advised to contact the library at least three business days in advance of their visit to submit a request to view the physical material.
Researchers are advised to call ahead concerning changes in hours due to University intersessions and holidays. The St. Louis Mercantile Library is located on levels one and two of the Thomas Jefferson Library building.
In observance of security procedures, certain services may not be available shortly before the daily closing time.
Preferred Citation: When citing the material from this collection, the preferred citation is: From the Special Collections of the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri – St. Louis.
