page 2.

layed answering your letter intending to find these figures, but I oamot
find them. However, I would not dispute it authoritatively, besause it
schoo

1 tournaments in Indiana, origin-

:
tc
i
F
iH

: ! tate winners meet at the Butler fieldhouse
in Indianapolis to play off their state teurnament. I have been present

: ames at which 16,000 people attended. I am not
sure that we could give Mir. Fessler credit fer originating the teurna-
ment idea. That would also take some research. Reen Kansas started their
tournaments in 1908. So again, question 3 is debatable.

Now, as for olaims by the opposition: (1) "Outeome of National AAU
‘tournaments should be reaspmbly accepted as a criterion of what section
of the country sponsors the best brand of basketball . . ‘Und In this
respect, Kansas and Missouri, as well as Oklahoma have consistently won
more titles than other states." As to this question, I would say that
naturally the tournaments having been held in Kansas City, Missouri, and
Denver, Colorade, - Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma have won more AAU Tourna-
nents than any other states, but these teams are not strictly representa-
tive of any one state. For instance, the Phillips 66 Oilers, who won the
National AAU title at Denver, have Fred Pralle of Kansas, Jolm Freiberger
of Arkansas, Martin Nash ef Missouri, Bill Martin ef Oklahoma, Lindemann
of Washington State, and the team is coached by Bud Browning, fermerly of .
the University of Cklahoma. :

A previous championship team of 1941 - 1943 had Howard Engleman of
Kansas, Joe Fortenberry of North Texas State Teachers, Clerence Anderson
of Stanford, Hank Luisetti of Stenford, Bill Martin of Oklahoma, Chuck
Hyatt of Pittsburgh University, Jim Wileoxen of Colorade, Jolm Adams of
Arkansas, Nash of Missouri, and Pralle of Kansas.

So you see these industrial teams pick these boys up wherever an
outstanding star blossoms. I do not believe it fair to say that these
beys who happen to be playing on a team in Oklahoma are naturally all
Oklahoma boys. That applies also to Kansas and Missouri. I believe
you get my point.

(2) “here are no high sehool teams better known for good basket-
ball over a period of time, than Newton, Kansas." I would say that
that would apply to Kansas very satisfactorily, but each state has its
centers of woll-knowm basketball teams. Years ago Winfield, Kansas,
eccupied the spet that Newten now occupies. However, the last two years
Shawnee-Mission High School, a small rural high school out of Kansas
City, has won the state champienship twice in succession. And Newton
and other large teams, as well as Kansas City, Kansas, were in the ;
tournanent.