WASHINGTON (AP) — The Library of Congress is acquiring an archive of audio recordings that contain thousands of historic sports interviews with star athletes and coaches.
The library announced Wednesday that it’s purchasing the interviews from San Francisco-based radio show “Sports Byline USA.” The initial collection will span 1988 to 2003. Recordings produced from 2004 to 2014 will be added later.
The collection includes chats with Mickey Mantle, Billie Jean King, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron, among others.
In a 1994 interview, Mantle discusses his alcoholism and the impact of his father’s early death due to Hodgkin’s disease. Mantle says he always thought he would have been better if his father had lived longer.
Show host Ron Barr conducted the interviews. He says he’s proud to have them at the library.
