The Tribune-Democrat, a local newspaper, identified the writer as David Petersen , a Johnstown, Pa., resident who graduated from Penn State in 1966. Mr. Petersen told the newspaper that he had not been making a statement about race or culture.

“It wasn’t threatening or anything,” he said. “I was just disgruntled about some of the hairdos that we’re seeing. You think of Penn State as a bunch of clean-cut guys. And you do see so many who are clean cut. But the tattoos and the hair — there are a lot of guys with hair coming down their backs and it just looks awful. And it’s the same for the N.F.L. and N.B.A., too.”

Mr. Sutherland and Mr. Shelton did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment on Wednesday.

Black people have long been discriminated against, ostracized or punished for hairstyles consistent with their natural hair textures, such as Afros or dreadlocks. The letter seemed to perpetuate that stigma.

“My wife and I are proud ‘older’ graduates of Penn state,” it said, adding that the writer had played sports but “never had the size or the talent to reach your level.”

“Though the athletes of today are certainly superior to those in my days; we miss the clean cut young men and women from those days,” the letter continued.

It went on to criticize professional football players as well.

“We have stopped watching the N.F.L.,” it said, citing “disgusting” tattoos, “awful hair and immature antics in the end zone,” and adding, “Players should act as though they’ve ‘been there before.’”

Penn State could not verify the authenticity of the letter, it said in its statement on Monday. “Obviously its content does not align with our values,” it added. “We strongly condemn this message or any message of intolerance.”