February 21, 1946 Lt. Robert A. Cook Ground Training Unit, O«-T | Second Air Force Headquarters Colorado Springs, Colorado, Dear Bob: We are getting ready to leave for the University of Missouri today at noon and so I will not have much time to give you the benefit of my reactions concerning “how to enjoy basketball", Tne first thing I would say is that naturally the individual spectator watches the ball too muche To enjoy the finer points of the game he should watch the pattern of play of the offense and of the defense. I think that is the common fault of even the officials who work the game. The umpire naturally should watch the back court and also the feet of the too often travelling players, but both officials, generally speaking, together with 95 percent of the spectators, watch the progress of the ball, This is perfectly natural, however, It is difficult to do otherwise. ‘Naturally, my next statement is going to be a criticism of the Rutes Committee in eliminating the center jump. I have just finished an article for an eastern magazine pointing out this fault. Jim Barry of U.S.C., John Bunn of Stan- ford, Bob Koegon of Notre Dame, Harold Olson of Ohio State, and a lot of other false prophets stated, “Eliminate the center jump and you will run the taller goons out of basketball." I maintained then and I still maintain that games are won or lost on the rebounds of the offensive and the defensive basket. Therefore, when the Rules Committee eliminated the tip-off, or the center jump, they inaugurated an histerical, hockeyigedeshuttle basketball imbroglio, The game now is too fast and desperate for ccordinative play. The spectators now become so excited with the haremescarem milling of the players and it is too fast for two officials to work the game. Basketball is now much after the manner of a ballyhooed fake wrestling bout. Please do not misunderstand me that I think basket- ball is a fake as is wrestling, but the result is the same, The wrestling promoters know that if the spectators were left to their sane judgment during an orderly wrestling bout, they would go once or twice and soon the attendance would fall off. However, the wise promoter knows the thing to do is to make the public excited; there- fore, they have put in some eye gouging, strangling, fisticuffed rough house tactics, and many other things that they think the public will get excited about. The promoters even have policemen rush into the ring at times when the wrestlers have slugged the referee, All of this, of course, is a fake but it gets the crowd. Now basketball has this common attraction, namely, that the game is so fast and furious and the fundamentals are so poor in this fast moving circus that the ball flies hither and yon, going out of bounds many times in the consequent changing of hands. Coaches, most of them, do not teach good fundamentals of defense. Everything is all out on the offense and patterns of play which once existed are now practically extinct. Lt. Robert A. Cook one February 21, 1946 # Of course, the people who are at fault in thig thing are the people who eliminated the center tap. In this article that I wrote for this magazine I sug- gested a rotation of the center jump comparable to the batting order in baseball.- Every man on the team would jump for the tipe-off exactly the same number of times. It would be just as easy to administer the rotating center jump as it would be to enforce the batting order in baseball. Each coach would give the line-up to the score keeper with the jumping order of the players. Should any player jump out of | order a technical foul would be assessed against the offending playerse The coaches, of course, would teach the players to jump in order and the game officials would not be hampered unduly by this rule any more than any other rule in the booke fhe game is in need of a breathing spell for both players and spectators. This proposed new rotating center jump tip-off play would supply the necessary inter- -lude so important to the jaded nerves of both spectators and players under. the present ‘fire wagon game. Time, of course, would be out while the ball is being brought to : the center circle for the tape Philosophically speaking, this wild game will run its course and then new rules of some sort and a new pattern of play will fdllow, Change is eternal and | we will have it, but nowwe have nobody on the Research Committee, that I know of, who is researching unselfishly for the good of the game. Most of the coaches, that I know of, who are on the Rules Committee are searching and researching for that seven=foot basketball player, rather than to find the answers to many of the game's perplexing - problems. : I wish that I could write more and give. you more data on the subject about which you expect to write, but I personally believe that the Rules Comnittee are ~ responsible for a barnacle on the game. Remember this, the Rules Committee did not make the popularity of the game, the originator, Dr. Naismith, is responsible for this because his brain child incorporated all the finer points of the game. The — Rules Committee members in their confusion to do something about a low ten=foot basket have groped aimlessly in the dark and they have come up with some poor suggestions. I would not be surprised if they do not stumble repeatedly. They are still like the Mayor of Norway during the ware-they are confusede — Paes. Sincerely, | Director of Physical Education, FCA sI'F Varsity Basketball Coach. eae ade the Kore > it. Robert A, Cook — ae Ground Training Unit, O-Ts 18 February 1916 Mr, Forrest T,. Allen, Basketball Coach, — University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, Dear Coach; ‘Your penalty for always being so generous and quick with your responses to requests for basketball information is another request, While sitting around here waiting for separation and my return _ to Indiana University as director of sports publicity, I'm trying to help Branc h McCracken get together a ary on "How to Enjoy Basketball® for one of the magazines, I had the feeling the story could be embellished richly by having a brief statement from’some of you basketball veterans, In order words, where do you think the average fan misses the boat? What should he look for that he doesn't to eet more for his money? With. that ball club of yours polling like it is, it doesn't need any work, So sit down and knock out a paragraph for us--that's what you get for leading‘all these polls as the country's leading bask- etball coach, Seriously, I’will appreciate it immensely. It doesn't have to be long or involved. Just a couple of pertinent EADS on how the fan can increase his enjoyment | of the Ga I hope you will say hello to Ray Evans for me, too, We all certainly thought highly of him around here, You once listed him on your alletime 4 i-Anerica list for me, and after seeing him I can understand why. " yr Best yishes for a ‘bangup ‘finish and pag kindly. _ i si Second Air Force Ha. Colorado ,Springs, Coloe 2 ~ Pas December 1, 1945. Mr. Ed Condon, 4133-27 Ave. Soe, Minneapolis 6, Minn. Dear Mr. Condon: I am very happy to receive your letter of November 25. Very often we are misquoted. I always remember what I say, and frankly, I was told by Knute Roclme ina friendly conversation that he had everything fairly comfortable for himself at Notre Dame. He said that he had forty big Catholics in the United States each of whom endowed four scholarships a year at $100.00 a month for twelve months. ‘The paper quoted me as saying fom hundred, which was erroneous. Conrad Memn, of Kansas City, was one of the outstanding Catholics in Kansas. I loiew of his activities in supplying these boys scholarships. : Rockne was a very good friend of mine and I had many coaching schools with him and was at Camp Sheridan with him in 1917 and 1918 when the athletic directors were in the Army at the Army Student Training Program at Camp Sheriden. I have been with Mr. Reckme upon a number of occasions and he and I were very good friends. I was not attacking Mr. Rockne, and am sorry that you took it that way. The point that I was making tas that where boys were subsidized with scholarships it is perfeotly all right if they are openly arrived at. Then the athletic situation would be a lot better off. Mr. Faurot and I did not agree on our viewpoints at all. And I did not say that there were players on the Kansas football team which were not subsidized. I do not know of any, but doubtless there are some. _ I have constantly asked for a czar of intercollegiate sports comparable to Judge Landis's position in organized baseball before he passed away. I have no idea of quarrelling with you and I am sorry that you have taken the position that you have. All I have ever asked for is that every con- ference have rules that are enforoed, which is not being done in any collegiate conference in the United States. I am sure that you are ap= praised of that fact. I am sure I would have made a very poor preacher, but I do know what goes on in intercollegiate athletics. Sincerely yours, Director of Physical Education, PCA: AH Varsity Basketball Coach. Tf ee Nhu, --¢. Ae hiferr rN SOY KZ CG SVU LAK? Antryvatl is es td V4. * of 2. f AALY Ah ALK OG f-F\ E A Ch“\_< Atte 2 Cot f 4 Zt AYE atk A OL771LK / Auntpc AAA, A ALALALIILO — ASU A VTA 4 A GAS Rene Gf ss * J LAA VTE ( RA KK) LA kL i 6 & yy, : AY bA CWO Z: Be (} - Va AYE LEA CA ti} Pf) ATi RK (kA , Ow" TL eS PA fe] / 2 Lyt, be. | / / i AT KP ALY ee IAM — e () : eg fay pe Lie j ld OD sal ANAL A 4 a D-VEY HOAAAK “4 J) AS AAA] >» 3 _ Y iCLe“.. “? < a NAGE AN if ed et SiS ) ag (ee t TV nsec fp AAET AATF 4 a = See : ; en Bi ice St Re pea vee 22 chs eRe kia ey ie Re of eae & etinraaey cee oa ee Oe SE ae Res RSs st fa : = sh te SN pS Sapa 5G Samiada eso hace ae oe hein re Ni Uae ates th nang igs neh Yee Cat tea ieate RONDE ps Sie ote ead RU eR es RRR oy August 17, 1946 Mre Eo Me ace, Principal: aoe | : High School : : Beloit, Kansas Dear Earls I have contacted the’Athletic Office and they are sending you the football schedules and posters that you requested, Kansas has a very attractive schedule and prospects for a very good team = I think they will be interesting to watch. St _ We are going to be bursting at the seams down here next fell having between 7,060 and.8,000 students. It should be an interesting yeare I am tevin: today for oni weeks in Colorado in search of the allusive trout. I hope to see you sometime this fall. | Very sincerely yours, Henry Ae Shenk Chairman of the HASSMF ae ? —— of Physical Edueation Chee AN COONAN YT Inc. - + ++ STATIONERS & OFFICE OUTFITTERS ---:- » TOPEKA, KANSAS July 26, 1946 University of Kansas Physical Education Lawrence, Kansas SUBJECT: Your POV#346 Gentlemen: We thank you for the subject purchase order and regret to advise that the trimer that we had in stock on July 15th was sold before your order arrived. We are making an effort to secure an additional supply and we hope to be in a position to make shipment to you. Yours very traly, CRANE AND COMA NY, INC. Bert G. Cobb Sales Manager BGC:br — duly 20, 1946 | : ~ Mr. Maurice Cannady 5526. Santa Monica Boulevard” Hollywood, California Dear Maurice: The Recreation Commission is wondering whether or not you have made up your mind as to what you want to do next year, You are still our first choice for Recreation Director. The gob would begin January 1 and be on a twelveemonths' basis. While the commission did not authorize me to offer you any particular salary, I am sure it will be over 5,000.00. If you are interested, for what would you come? I think there is a real opportunity here for someone, We have an overeall budget of $15,000.00 on which to operate. In addition to that, the @ity Council ‘has a $75,000.00 bond issue to use for additional verse — etce I would appreciate. hearing from you as soon as possible as to whether or not you are interested. We will have to start looking elsewhere if you are not interested, but we certainly hope that vou will be. We are having a rather hot summer but we have a pretty good recreation program going on downtown and another one on the hill. The university is expecting more than 7,000 students next fall, I expect that they will be hanging from the rafters. \ \ Very sincerely yours, Henry A. Shenk, | Chairman of the | < HAS sMF : | Recreation Commission, July 1, 1946 Mre Dayton Cashman Rural Route #3 Sabetha, Kansas Dear Mr, Cashman: : In answer to your letter of June 20 I wish to advise that we are unable to send you an up-to-date Softball Rule Book. We have not béen able to obtain a new book ourselves and have no mimeographed sheets on the new softball rules. There have been several changes this yeare Sincerely yours, | | Henry Shenk HS sMF Director of Physical Education. Vegetable Ovls Vaval Stores Cr ee oc 507-517 NORTH MONTGALL AVE (AT GUINOTTE) 7 Oe J. D, : Co aes Jleavy Chemicals RawPaint Materials P.O.STATION F: oe University of Kansas me 26,198 | Lawrence, . , : oe Kansas r Spee We are now able to supply requirements of LIQUID CHLORINE intended for use of Swimming Peols in 150=lb, cylinders for aecount John Wiley Jones Company, Caledonia, New York, fer direct eee from their Indianapolis, Indiana Plant. | Jos Sa PRIGM, subject to market chenges | age To Kansas State destinations, freight preiad = @-1/2¢ lb. Plus a deposit of $20,00 for the cylinders, on which 60-days: free 1 is allowed from date of shipment, Cylinders retained after 60 an : subject to a rental charge of 50¢ per month until returned to dest. from which shipment has been made. For the time being, we are offering Liquid Chlerine for Pools only, but at a later date, hope to be in position te ‘supply r ments for other industriel uses, Your orders will be appreciated. June 21, 1946 _ Mr. Orlis Cox Rural Route #1 | a Ottawa, Kansas eo Deer r Orliss I appreciate your invitation to appear in the Men's Health and Physical Education section at the State Teachers’ Meeting, but I feel like it would be overdoing things as Chalmer Woodard has already asked me to talk at the joint meeting, which will preceed yours. I would suggest that you might possibly get Dr. Elbel, Ray Kanehl, or Red Strait, who could make a very good talk on some subject you might assign them. Thenks a lot for the invitation but under the circumstances I do not believe I had better accept. . Sincerely yours, Henry Shenk HS sMF Director of Physical Education June 19, 1946 - Miss Norma Bentley University of Michigan. Rpper Geant of eayeeeee Education | Athletics Ann Arbor, Michigan ; pie Dear Wiss Bonhsnys Tank you for your peed letter of June 17 enclosing application SERENE TI an filling out the blank for four tickets for the Army game at Ann Arbor and I am enclosing my — check for $16.20. : Please tell Fritz I will eeebties this a winieesi favor. I will thank _ to call this to his attention <— his return. }: Thank you for your assurance and kindness in taking care of this request. Sincerely yours, : a Director of Physical Education, PCAs F Varsity Basketball Coach. he > ae 2 ae University or MICHIGAN Ann ARBOR + DEPARTMENT OF PuysicaL EpucaTION AND ATHLETICS OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR June 17, 1946 Mr. Fe. Ce. Allen Director of Physical Education University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas Dear Mr. Allen: In reply to your letter of June 14, Mr. Crisler is out of town and will not return until about July 10. Enclosed herewith are application blanks which you may fill out and return to Mr. Crisler. I am sure that he will be glad to take care of your request. Sincerely ein os Bentley Secretary to Mr. Crisler UNIVERSITY OF COACH FRITZ CRISLER 1946 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Captain ART RENNER FOOTBALL SCHEDULE CARD- ” e HOME GAMES ‘ - Reserved pi de Box Seats 4 Ke Seats Sept. 28 Indiana .....eeeeeeeeee. $3.00 rack 4.00 Oct 15: lowWant a ae 3.00 4.00 Ot? Few wa 4.00 $6856 5.00 Oct. 19 Northwestern ..:.23... 3.00 4.00 De 26 Minds 3.00 35¢eF 4.00 Nov. 9 Michigan State ........ 3.00 4.00 Now6 Wisconsin: ........0... 3.00 4.00 Season Tickets (7 Home Games).......... $18.00 Orders for Season Tickets received by August 1 will be given priority over applications for tick- ets to individual games. @ GAMES AWAY Nov. 2 Minnesota at Minneapolis........ $3.00 ‘Nove: 23 Ohio State at Goltimbus.....:.... 3,50 (All prices include Tax) @ Orders should be accompanied by remittance in full, including postage and insurance (20c for each individual game or 30c for season orders) payable to H. O. CRISLER, DIRECTOR. Mail orders to H. O. Crisler, Director, Ferry Field, ~ Ann Arbor, Michigan. ~ Tickets are not returnable and no refunds will be made (Kick-off—all games—2:00 o'clock) dune 14, 1946 PERSONAL Mre Herbert 0. Crisler Director of Athletics Football Coach University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigen Dear Frit: I am desirous of purchasing four tickets for the MichigeneArmy football game at Am Arbor on October 12. : 2 Will you kindly let me know the amount and when the tickets will be available. I will appreciate your personal interest in this matter. - \ ~ With all good wishes, I am Sincerely yours, ‘Director of Physical Education, S FPCAsMF Varsity Basketball Coache - June 18, 1946 Mr. Wendell Clark Victoria, Illinois Devsr Wendys ‘I am sorry that I did not get to see you when you were in the offices It seemed as if I was always out when you were in and vice versa. | Bob Ingalls of the coaching staff came in just now and said that he could get the boys on the highway engineering group at $180.00 a month and if they are single and out on their own, there is an expense item included in that for keep. I am wondere ing if you are interested in that kind of job, or if you have made definite plans for the summer. I thought that if you will, you might stop by Lawrence on your way out to Colorado to work into ite Did you see Bob Allen when you were in St. Louis getting discharged? He was atsLambert Field. : Please give your parents my very best. With all good wishes, I am Sincerely yours, . Director of Physical Education, FCAsMF Varsity Basketball Coach. June 4, 1946 Lt. John M. Cress - 0560514 Physical Training Instructors School AeAeFe MeTcCe < San Antonio, Texas Dear Johnny: I am giad to get your letter bringing me up to date on your gymnastic PFOwees ; and the progress of your family, Dorothy, Betty,. and Cherry. I think you were wise to buy a houseetrailer because the living problem is sonething, so far as rentals are concerned » I aia not coach the baseball team this year. That Varsity was handled by Ralph Dugan, a freshman coach of mine when — I was handling the Varsity. I am afraid that if I had handled the baseball we would not have done as well as-we did in basketball. The baseball team finished in fourth place and in basketball we were fortunate enough not to lose any conference games. You certainly have done yourself proud es all .the honors that you have up to date, I am not writing the Jayhawk Rebounds any more stnee so. many of “the boys have returned from the service. I hope that ‘you can get; back before’ long with your family and see the beautiful campus here on Mount Oread. Give our love to Dorothy andthe babies. With all good wishes, I am Sincerely yours, Director of Physical Education, ‘FOAMP - : Varsity Basketball Coach. — Cress Cops Top Honors in AAU Gymnastic Meet BY ASSOCIATED PRESS DALLAS, April 28.—Lt. John »| Cress, former national intercol- legiate champion representing the San Antonio Y.M.C.A., romped off with major honors Saturday night in the South- - | western A.A.A. gymnastic cham- pionships, in. which 65 entries competed here. Cress won the all-round cham- pionship and the senior title on the horizontal bars ahd the fly- ing rings. Paul Chapman of the Dallas Athletic Club won the senior tumbling championship and Skippy Browning of the D.A.C.| , -|the- trampoline crown. Other champions: crowned .| were Beverly Newby, D.A.C., junior girls’ tumbling; Grace Buckley, Fort Worth recreation | department, senior girls’ tumb- ling; Frank Chapal, San Antonio Y, junior division horizontal ‘| bars; Bill Willis, D.A.C., junior flying rings, and Frank Stran- sky, Dallas Sokol Club, side horse open competition. te Yow ip te Sault au Ga ts Synrnnaslic rite ) cllas | Way 10, 1946 Mr. Newton Campbell 657 West 59th Terrace Kansas City 2, Missouri Dear Newt: IT am doggone sorry that I waited so long in answering your fine letter. Gee{ I was tickled pink _ Carolyn “is your daughter, who had been chosen queen of the Relays. fe fs a beautiful girl ana T — you and your good wife on having such a wonderful manne You know, Newt, these youngsters grow up so fast that we oldsters just can't keep up with them. Golly$ I wish Carolyn had have told me of her ancestral ties. It would have given me a great pleasure to have told her how much I thought of her dad, and then, if she had told me that you were in the audience, I certainly would have looked you up, instead of driving through the audience up-to the press stand to ee to some of the newspaper writers. ? T was really looking for someone to have a visit with and, ~~ ' °* while I do not want to blame Carolyn or anyone for not informing me, I still regret that I could not have utilized that ‘time of all times in spinning yarns with one of the old Phi Psis of whom I was most fond. While therevere a lot of good Phi Psis in those days, I always remember the genial humor and friendliness you always had, You had a sense of balance that was most pleasing to me. The othor fellow whom I remember with great affection is Charles Blackmor, I always held him in most friendly and high esteem. : Isn't it a darn shame, Newt, that live with 911 its come plexities does not allow us time to sit down and visit about the things that meant so much to us in our early life?’ It is good of you end most generous to say the fine things that you say regarding our work here at the University of Kansas. Of course, it pleases me to no end to have good friends léke you say such ~- things, for I am conscious at all times of the individuals who violently disagree with you regarding my merits. However, being so human we like to have fellows like you tell us those- snbaees Again with congrathlations to you and your fine family ead: in the eae. breath expressing a hope that we do get time for a friesdty visit over "ye olden daya" » I am ~ Yours in the Bond, ae ce Director of Peyatens Education, FCAsMP : , Noreaty Basketball | Coach. April 10, 1946 .Mre Es Me Chestnut, Principal Beloit High School Beloit, Kansas Dear Principal Chesnut: Your letter of February 23 has had to remain unanswered until basketball season was over and I must apolegtss for ‘ thie situation. I eppreciate very much your attitude toward the ticket situation for the Iowa State game. We are very disconcerted over ‘that same situation on many of cur games, particularly, as it later \ developed, the Cxleahoma A & M game, to which so many people failed to secure tickets, It is my hope that we may have a field house here at Kansas in the near future to alleviate that situation. | I also want to thank you for your congratulations on our former victories. Your attitude and loyalty is one which — deserves commendation. I am not sure, but I think thet Kendas did have @ renee at the Beloit Regional Tournament. ‘Hoping to have the opportunity of — you personally “—s I am Sincerely yours, | i Director of Physical Education, PCA: VP oe Varsity Basketball Coach. COMMERCE ~ MUSIC - BELO: IT. k KA NSAS “Home of the Trojans” t . M. CHESTNUT, PRINCIPAL February 23, 1946 | Mr. F,. G, Allen Lawrence, Kansas Dear friend 'Phog’ I received your letter and also the one from Mr. Falkenst in answer to my inquiry and request for tickets to the Iowa St game. I greatly appreciate the consideration which my request received, Because of the regular duties, other matters which have arisen since that time, and the fact that only standing _room was available » we will have to miss the game. , I wish on this occasion, as I have. on many previous occas that the games could be put on the air and that K. F. kK. U. h more power. We can't get that station here except with a ver good receiver, and even then conditions mast be Ft right, Congratulations. on. your, 50 te 31, victory over Ht spodee. know that must have been a hard won victory on.the Missouri ec Here's hoping that you can win both of the games next week and { into the N. C. A. A. tournament by taking care of the Oklahoma © Ageles. I am presuming that would be the pierre. T am planr to be in Kansas “ ars that tournament. : : We won't have too many good boys at the Beloit Regional - ment, March 6, 7, 8, 9;—but I would be pleased if some repres of the kK. hy Athletic Department would: pay us a ake We ar expecting to have a eves tournament. : . Host eee ED E. M. Chestnut, Betuelpei Beloit High School