 Dan Magill papers
Collection DescriptionBiographical NoteDaniel Hamilton "Dan" Magill, Jr. (1921-2014) was a sports information director, head tennis coach, and Georgia Bulldog Club secretary for the University of Georgia. He is widely known for his great contributions to the Georgia Bulldog Athletic Program. Magill's greatest legacy is his success as head tennis coach from 1954 to 1988. While UGA's tennis program was struggling before he took over as coach, he grew the program to achieve a 706-183 record (most wins by any coach in NCAA history), 13 Southeastern Conference outdoor championships, 8 SEC indoor championships, and 2 national championships. These successes contributed to the building of a state-of-the-art tennis complex and brought the ITA Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame to Athens, both of which are named in Magill's honor. Born and raised in Athens, Georgia, Magill's association with the Bulldogs began with his job as bat boy for the baseball team and manager of the tennis courts while in high school. While at the University of Georgia, he competed as a varsity athlete for the tennis team and swim team, volunteered his services as assistant football coach to Harry Mehre and he was a member of Chi Phi Fraternity before entering the Marine Corps during World War II. Magill received his Bachelor of Arts in Journalism (ABJ) from the University's prestigious Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication in 1942. After the war Magill worked as Prep Sports editor for the Atlanta Journal. Through his journalism work he positioned himself as a great promoter, helping to attract ever-growing crowds to the annual Georgia high school all-star football and baseball games. In 1949, Magill returned to Athens to take the job of sports information director for the University. His passion for the Bulldogs was evident as he personally covered every sport on campus. In the 1950s, the Bulldog football team was struggling under legendary coach Wally Butts. And as the wins became fewer, so did the number of people in the stands. To help out his alma mater, Magill traveled all over Georgia, setting up Bulldog Clubs along the way. He also founded The Georgia Bulldog newspaper in 1950. Before long, nearly half of Georgia's counties had local chapters of Magill's club, and interest in the Bulldogs soared. Magill continued to serve as executive secretary of the club for decades. Magill passed away in 2014 at the age of 93, survived by his wife Rosemary and his three children, Ham, Sharon, and Mollie. Scope and ContentThe Dan Magill papers consist of correspondence, photographs, and writings documenting his career with University of Georgia Athletics. The collection contains records of his communication with players, coaches, and colleagues in athletics, as well as his speeches and writings for publications like the Athens Banner-Herald and his book Bulldoggerel. The collection also contains a signficant file of photographs documenting Magill's life dating back to his time in the Marine Corps. Organization and ArrangementThe collection consists of six series: 1. Player files, 2. Writings, 3. Subject Files, 4. Speeches and Events, 5. Photographs, and 6. Correspondence. Administrative InformationPreferred CitationDan Magill papers, UA15-015, University of Georgia Archives, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries. Finding Aid PublicationFinding aid prepared on: 2017. Related Materials and SubjectsSubject TermsRelated Collections in this RepositoryRelated collections include the Athletic Association records, UA0055, University of Georgia Archives, Hargrett Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Georgia Libraies. | ||||||||||||||||||||