Philippines
4 January 1944

Dear Mr. Allen,

I doubt if you remember me but I was in your early-
morning phys. cond. class in '43-44. I hate to bother
you with such a trivial matter but I could think of no
one better qualified than you to settle an argument about
basketball. There are quite a few men on both sides of
this argument about the size of an official collegiate
basketball, in fact quite a lot of money was bet.

On the ship we have a Wilson Official college grade
basketball (measuring about 27.5 inches in circumference
with the present air pressure) which is said by some to
be too small to be official. The ball cost $6.46 and
it seems illogical that Wilson would produce such a ball
that would not meet "official" qualifications. Coulda you
please straighten us out with a little information? :

After the war I plan to return to the hill to com-
plete credits for my degree, and I look forward to the
time when I can sit down and watch some Kansas grade

basketball.
Respectfully yours,

Yiand R. Schultheis

Ensign, USNR