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Linda Kaye Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MS 103

Scope and Contents

The collection documents Linda Kaye's career, particularly her time spent photographing TCU events from 1962-2007. Series I consists of images taken at TCU events or of TCU faculty, staff, and students. Photos of sporting events and the performing arts comprise the majority of the series. TCU athletics are thoroughly represented. Even though photos of football, basketball, and baseball are most common, this collection includes photos from nearly all men's and women's sports in which TCU fielded a team during Kaye's time as photographer (intramural teams not included). Photos of campus are spread throughout the series, under various titles. Series II includes images from Kaye's assignments outside of TCU. The series includes family and personal portraits, along with photos from business grand openings and other ceremonies, and photos of sporting events in which TCU teams did not participate.

Series I: TCU Photopgraphs, 1962-2007 includes photo negatives, prints, slides, CDs, publications, and ephemera documenting events relating to or sponsored by TCU. The series consists of two subseries: athletics and general university events.

The athletics subseries is arranged alphabetically by sport and chronologically within each sport. Game or action photos comprise the great majority of the material in the subseries, but still photos of the athletes, as well as photos of coaches and staff, facilities, special events, and summer youth camps are also present. In addition, schedules, rosters, scorecards, and promotional materials are included for many sports. The subseries consists of photographs of both men's and women's sports. The men's and women's basketball teams have separate entries in the inventory, the other sports that field both men's and women's teams are listed under a single entry. The mascot (SuperFrog), cheerleaders, and showgirls are featured in some of the game photos. The "general athletics" section contains photographs and memorabilia not specific to one particular sport. Photographs of Athletics Department events and employees, Frog Club events, fundraisers, awards and banquets, and sports facilities are part of this general section as well as photos of unidentified athletes, trainers, and athletic staff.

The general university events subseries consists of photographs of faculty and staff, students, campus, and events sponsored by TCU. The subseries is arranged alphabetically by last name, department name, or event title. There are many photographs of performing arts in this subseries, featuring performances by TCU's dance, music, opera, and theatre programs. Photographs of campus appear under the heading "campus views" and throughout the series according to the titles Linda Kaye assigned to them. Therefore, listings such as "fog on campus" or "Frog Fountain" may be of interest to those seeking shots of campus. Faculty and staff are listed alphabetically by last name or under the department in which they worked.

Series II: General Photographs, 1969-2007 includes images from Linda Kaye's photo assignments not connected to TCU. It is arranged alphabetically by the name of the business or the last name of the person featured in the photos. The series includes family portraits as well as photos of business events and non-TCU sporting events.

Dates

  • 1962-2007 inclusive, 1985-2007 bulk
  • 1985 - 2007

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright has been transferred to Texas Christian University.

Biographical / Historical

For nearly five decades Linda Kaye photographed people and events on TCU's campus and helped document the school's growth and development. Kaye was a well known freelance professional photographer, but as a TCU alumna (class of 1963) and avid Horned Frog sports fan, she dedicated much of her time to the university. Kaye is recognized for her pioneering role as a woman sports photographer, and she is perhaps most appreciated for her sports photography. She took candid shots as well as portraits and, in addition to documenting action on the sports field, was one of the first to capture players and coaches on the sidelines and in buses. Kaye eventually worked for every department on campus and photographed campus activities including convocations, graduations, and other university ceremonies.

Inspired by her father Max, also a photographer, Kaye first took up photography as a student at Paschal High School in Fort Worth. As a freshman at TCU in 1959, majoring in English and journalism, she joined the photography staff of the school's yearbook and student newspaper. She eventually became the sports editor of the newspaper, the Daily Skiff, and rose to the position of editor-in chief of the yearbook, the Horned Frog (a position she gave up to become Head Photographer).

Kaye continued to take pictures for TCU after her graduation in 1963. During her career as a photojournalist, she worked for the Associated Press, area news media, and local sports teams including the Texas Rangers, Dallas Cowboys, and the University of Texas. Among her mentors was Al Panzera, renowned sports photographer during the 1960s and 1970s for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Kaye photographed numerous professional athletes, politicians, and other celebrities during her career and her reputation as an influential photojournalist and sports photographer spread. Throughout her career she remained committed to TCU, and was a dedicated Horned Frog fan. TCU recognized Kaye's contributions and achievements by inducting her into the Schieffer School of Journalism's Hall of Fame shortly before her death from cancer in October, 2007.

Extent

47.0 Linear feet

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

Arranged in two series: Series I. TCU Photographs, 1962-2007. Series II. General Photographs, 1969-2007.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Linda Kaye, 2007.

Title
Guide to the Linda Kaye Collection
Author
Compiled by Special Collections staff
Date
September 2010
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Archives and Special Collections, Mary Couts Burnett Library Repository

Contact:
TCU Box 298400
2800 S. University Drive
Fort Worth, Texas 76129-0001
Fort Worth Texas 76129
(817) 257-4566
(817) 257-7282 (Fax)