COMMONWEALTH OF. KENTUCKY

DEPARTMENT OF WELFARE

JOSHUA B. EVERETT FRANKFORT JOHN QUERTERMOUS
CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF WELFARE : : COMMISSIONER OF WELFARE
DIVISION OF CORRECTIONS

M. F. AMRINE. DIRECTOR

February 23, 1946

Mre Phog Allen
Basketball Coach
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

Dear Phog:

Just read a basketball article in a recent issue
of Esquire. It mentioned you favorably and, of course, I swelled
with pride in having known you and known your wonderful work in
Ke Ue

Through the Topeka Capital, I have followed your work
again this yeare I am very proud of your wonderful team. Tes-=
day night of this week in a gym at the State Prison at London,
Ohio, I saw an exceedingly interesting game between the prison
team and a team from Plain City, Ohio. They are part of a 10-team
league. These 2 teams had tied for first place, but the visiting
team won the gam by a small margin. The visiting team have played
together ever since they were in highschool, about four years agoOe
One of this team is a colored player who was on the all-Chio Five
when in highschoole IncidentfZally, about 50 visitors were ad=
mitted to the seats which surround the basketball floor. After
all visitors were seated, 600 prisoners were marched into the gym
and were likewise seated. Although this event was at night, this
could be handled because from the dormitories to the gym, prison=
ers are always behind locked doors and barred windows and security

can be maintainedy — Ha, bye ff eer, flow ug

I have fine cooperation from the Governor and the
Commissioners of Welfare under whom I work in Kentucky. I have five
correctional institutions under my supervisione I am also Director
of the Division of Probation and Parole in this state, but should
get very little credit for this work as it is, of necessity, directed
and managed mostly by an assistant. Kentucky has what I call a
thoroughly organized system for what I call probation and parole
management with twenty~six field officers constantly investigating