Thomas J. Whelan, Sr. was born in 1911 to Irish immigrant parents in New York City. An excellent athlete, Whelan arrived at Catholic University in August 1929 on a football scholarship, playing on the team all four years. Whelan partnered first with Dutch Bergman and then Ben Zola in operating taverns in Brookland, near Catholic University. In 1960, Whelan, who was active in the Democratic National Committee, became an advance man for John F. Kennedy in his campaign for President of the United States. In 1963, he was assigned to the Congressional Liaison Office of the Department of Commerce, and retired from the Federal Government in 1972. The collection contains an oversize photograph and digitized images from two scrapbooks. The images from these scrapbooks are from Whelan's high school, college, post-college career, showcasing his accomplishments in athletics, especially football.