The Jack Hartman Papers document Hartman's college coaching career from 1955-1986. They also include course material, correspondence regarding his retirement as head coach for Kansas State University and his nomination to the Hall of Fame in 1986, photographs, and artifacts. During Hartman's professional career he was head basketball coach at three schools including: Coffeyville (Kansas) Junior College (1955-1962), Southern Illinois University (1962-1970), and Kansas State University (1970-1986).
Oklahoma A & M, the first series, is comprised of material from courses in education and physical education that Hartman took while enrolled at the college.
The second series, Coffeyville Junior College (1955-1962), is divided into seven sub-series according to basketball season: 1) 1955-1956 contains a copy of the college magazine and awards; 2) 1956-1957 includes the college magazine from that year; 3) 1957-1958 consists of telegrams, tournament information, and newspaper clippings; 4) 1959-1960 contains newspaper clippings outlining highlights; 5) 1960-1961 includes tournament information; 6) 1961-1962 consists of tournament information and newspaper clippings, and 7) Miscellaneous includes scouting notes and a cutout of the Coffeyville Junior College mascot.
Southern Illinois University (1962-1970), the third series, is organized into eight sub-series: 1) 1962-1963 consists of newspaper clippings; 2) 1963-1964 contains newspaper clippings; 3) 1964-1965 includes telegrams, game statistics, programs, tournament information, and newspaper clippings; 4) 1967 National Invitational Tournament (NIT) consists of programs and newspaper clippings featuring the tournament highlights (Walt Frazier, who went on to star for the New York Knicks, was a member of the team); 5) 1967-1968 contains game statistics, programs, and newspaper clippings; 6) 1968-1969 includes game programs; 7) 1969-1970 consists of game statistics, programs, the Countrywide Sports magazine, and newspaper clippings; and 8) 1970 Transition from SIU to KSU includes newspaper clippings outlining Hartman's resignation from SIU and appointment as the new head basketball coach at Kansas State University.
The fourth series is Kansas State University (1970-1986). This series is separated into thirteen sub-series: 1) Clippings, undated, contains a number of newspaper clippings from unknown basketball seasons at Kansas State University; 2) 1970-1971 consists of telegrams, game statistics, programs, tournament information, and clippings; 3) KSU, 1971, Clippings includes newspaper clippings concerning Oklahoma University's basketball team; 4) 1971-1972 contains telegrams, game statistics, and newspaper clippings; 5) 1972-1973 consists of programs and newspaper clippings; 6) 1973-1974 contains game statistics, programs, and media guides, and newspaper clippings; 7) 1974-1975 includes programs and newspaper clippings; 8) 1975-1976 contains programs and newspaper clippings; 9) 1976-1977 consists of a photograph; 10) 1977-1978 includes newspaper clippings; 11) 1979-1980 contains college magazine and newspaper clippings; 12) 1984-1985 consists of newspaper clippings; and 13) 1985-1986 includes programs and newspaper clippings.
The series Correspondence (1986) is organized into two sub-series. The first sub-series is entitled Retirement and contains a number of letters regarding Hartman's retirement as the head coach for the men's basketball team at Kansas State University. It includes letters from Governor John Carlin (Kansas) and coaches Lou Henson, Tom Penders, "Wimp" Sanderson, and others. The second sub-series relates to Hartman's nomination to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1986 and contains letters of support from Henry Iba, DeLoss Dodds, Dean Smith, and others.
The Photographs series is divided into three sub-series: 1) Coffeyville Junior College consists of photographs from Hartman's time as head coach at Coffeyville; 2) Southern Illinois University includes Southern Illinois University's basketball team photographs, individual player photographs, a number of photographs of Hartman during his tenure as head coach, and a photograph from the National Invitation Tournament in 1967; and 3) Kansas State University contains a photograph of Hartman during his years as head coach at Kansas State University.
Artifacts comprise the last series and include a "Coach of the Year Award" trophy from the National Association of Basketball Coaches for the 1980-1981 season, and two plaques awarded to Hartman. The first plaque was given to him by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association (KBCA) in honor of his induction into the KBCA Hall of Fame in 1989. The second plaque was presented by Kansas State University honoring Hartman as the winningest coach in Kansas State University basketball history, 1970-1986.