page two
Mre Howard Turtle

’ Nebraska is a great highschool basketball state, ‘They have no strong
Secondary colleges in Nebraska, and the University monopolizes the field. in my
opinion, there is no more reason why Nebrasim should not be preeminate in basketball
as well as in football and track because they have the envirorment, the field house
and the material, That Nebraska team last year should have gone to great heights.

But, I am speaking off the record, Howard. If, after you read my letter,
you care to pick out certain points, and ask me questions that I can answer without
embarrassing any opponent or myself, I would be happy to do so. Kansas has developed .
esprit de corps against Nebraskm and they can go right up on Nebraska bailiwick and
spot them a couple of goals and still lick them. Kansas boys are no more afraid of
Nebraska than they are of any other team in the Big Sixe They just take them in
stride, and they realize too, that all these schools in the Big Six are gunning
for us in basketball just as the other Big Six schools are gunning for Nebraska in
football, .

Answering your question, “or is it because those ‘corn-fed' boys just
can't play basketball", I want to say no, because Iowa State had never won anything
until Louie lienze went there for basketball. He has had two championships during
his ten years there end they never came close before he joined them, I will bet a
pretty dollar that Louie Menze will turn out a championship team at Nebraska in three
Years e Os

Sure, football is emphasized in Nebraska, but I kmow a lot of good schools
who emphasize football and they can still play basketball, I have in mind the Missouri
Tigers; they win football and basketball championships. In fact, I am going to have
& much better basketball team next year and the year following and then the year follow.
ing that than I have had for several years. Three of my regular players doubtless will |
be from the football squad.

i like to have football players on my basketball squad. I will cite you

an incident: Ed Mall, the fullback on our football team, was drafted by me late in
this past year's basketball season. After Marvin Sollenberger, our regular guard, took

ill with glandular fever, at Ames, and was sent to the hospital just before our Oklahoma

_ game, I aged Charlie Walker and some of my substitutes who had little game experience,

and we lost the Oklahoma game. ‘Three days later, we played the Oklahoma Agsbes, and I

tried Walker againe He was not doing so well and we were losing, so I called Eddie lall ;

from the bench and sent him in as guard. He was ssive, and :

. ad _offeset +he-adeantage the Ollaboma Agzies had. He scored a goal about a minute
and a helf efter he went in as guard, and his rugge playing stimulated the As & Me
team and we won the game by four points. I have always liked to have football players
n my lineup. The: ve the ‘te ne" and "ze t" to this game of basketball that is seede °

Charles Black, Bob_ | Zech" Bi could name mumerous basketball players that
ve who have been football players.

This yee coming UP, we will have Ray Evans, Charles Black, Don Btti >

  

 
   

-andnd a couple of other boys from the football squad on our basketball team. I woul
say that osteo} aggressive, ‘corn-fed' boys like the Nebraskans, can play basketball.