Onson, Helen (1915-2002), Papers, 1938-1993 (C4043)

.2 l.f., 1 oversized volume, 1 DVD

INTRODUCTION

The Helen Onson Papers contain photographs, diaries, newspaper clippings, and a scrapbook documenting Onson's career as a basketball player in the 1930s and 1940s. The collection also includes a DVD with an interview of Onson discussing her basketball career and friendship with Olympian Helen Stephens.

DONOR INFORMATION

The Helen Onson Papers were donated to the State Historical Society of Missouri by Onson's nephew, Robert Knutson, on January 20, 2008 (Accession no. 6171).

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Helen Onson was born in 1915 in Two Harbors, Minnesota, the youngest of five children. At the age of four she moved with her family to Rhinelander, Wisconsin. After graduating from high school in 1933, she worked in the Oneida County Court House. Onson was also active in sports.

In 1937, she joined Grover Cleveland Alexander's "Stars of the World" basketball team, despite her family's disapproval. In 1938, Onson also played on the Helen Stephens Olympic Co-eds team. With these two teams, she traveled across the United States and Canada, playing on the same circuit as the Harlem Globetrotters. During the 1938-1939 season, she joined the Ozark Hillbillies. At times, she also filled in on C.M. Olson's All-American Redheads. Her team was forced to come off the road in 1940 due to gas rationing.

She returned to her hometown and worked in various capacities at the Oneida County Courthouse until her retirement in 1984. She also instructed young people in basketball, baseball, tennis, archery, golf, and bowling. She remained good friends with Helen Stephens. Correspondence between the two can be found in the Helen Stephens Papers (C3552). Helen Onson died on December 17, 2002.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Helen Onson Papers cover her years playing basketball with the Stars of the World, Helen Stephens Olympic Co-eds, and Ozark Hillbillies. The collection includes photographs taken with these teams while on the road across the United States and Canada, as well as some photographs taken during their games. It also includes photographs of Onson and Helen Stephens from later years, Onson's diaries from 1938 to 1940, and an issue of Allsports magazine from November-December 1944, which includes a story on women basketball players.

The collection also contains a scrapbook with newspaper articles on Stephens and women's basketball in general, hotel postcards, and souvenir leaflets.

In 1993, Onson's nephew, Robert Knutson, conducted an interview with her in which she discussed women's professional basketball and her friendship with Helen Stephens.

FOLDER LIST

f. 1-2Photographs, 1938-1940
f. 3Photographs, 1948-1964
f. 4Diaries, 1938-1940
f. 5Allsports magazine, 1944
f. 6Scrapbook, 1938-1940
DVD Interview with Helen Onson, 1993

INDEX TERMS

These index terms are the subjects, people, places, etc. under which this collection is listed in all available indexes at The State Historical Society of Missouri-Columbia. If you are interested in a specific index term, please contact the reference staff

Basketballf. 1, 2 (pictorial image)
Basketballf. 1-6
Helen Stephens Olympic Co-Eds (Basketball team)f. 4, 6
Helen Stephens Olympic Co-Eds (Basketball team)f. 1, 2 (pictorial image)
Onson, Helen (1915-2002)f. 1-3, DVD 1 (pictorial image)
Onson, Helen (1915-2002)f. 4, 6
Ozark Hillbillies (Basketball team)f. 4-6
Ozark Hillbillies (Basketball team)f. 1, 2 (pictorial image)
Stars of the World (Basketball team)f. 4, 6
Stars of the World (Basketball team)f. 1, 2 (pictorial image)
Stephens, Helen Herring (1918-1994)f. 1-3 (pictorial image)
Stephens, Helen Herring (1918-1994)f. 4, 6, DVD 1
Women basketball playersf. 4-6, DVD 1
Women basketball playersf. 1-3, 5, 6 (pictorial image)