ALONG THE LEDO ROAD, ASSAM, INDIA
MAY 9, 1945

DR. FORREST C. ALLEN
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL EDUCABION
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

LAWRENCE, KANSAS

DEAR DOCTOR ALLEN:

YOU PROBABLY DON'T REMEMBER ME AT ALL. I WAS ONE OF YOUR FRESHMAN
BASKETBALL PLAYERS IN 1932, AND WORKED ON THE STADIUM CREW. BIG BILL
JOHNSON FROM OKLAHOMA WAS AT THAT TIME, YOUR ist STRING CENTER, AND
MY IDOL SO TO SPEAK,

WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL IN 1932, I WASN'T QUITE OLD ENOUGH TO BE
EMOTIONALLY STABLE, AND I FAILED IN MY CLASSES THE SECOND SEMESTER,
THE SPRING OF '33. HOWEVER, I LEARNED A GREAT DEAL ABOUT BASKETBALL
FROM BILL JOHNSON AND FROSTY COX. THE FOLLOWING WINTER, I SPENT MOST
OF MY TIME ACTING AS A HALF QUALIFIED ASSISTANT COACH TO MONK EDWARBS
WHO WAS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AT CONCORDIA HIGH SCHOOL, MY HOME TOWN.

DURING ALL THE INTERVENING YEARS, I HAVE FOLLOWED BASKETBALL CLOSELY
AND STILL FIRMLY BELIEVE IT IS THE FINEST SPORT IN AMERICA FOR
DEVELOPING YOUNG BODIES AND AN INSTINCTIVE SENSE AND APPRECIATION
FOR TEAM PLAY. I HAVE ALSO THOUGHT OF PASSING AS ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS IN THE GAME. WITHOUT ACCURATE PASSING, ANY TEAM
PLAYS UNDER A SERIOUS HANDICAP. CONVERSELY, WITH ITS HELP, ANY TEAM
HAS A DECIDED ADVANTAGE, FOR THEY ARE ENABLED TO MOVE THE BALL ©
SAFELY, AND AT WILL, TO A GOOD SCORING POSITION, AND AT THE SAME
TIME CONSERVE VALUABLE ENERGY THAT WOULD BE SPENT DRIBBLING AND
RUNNING AROUND.

I HAVE BEEN OVERSEAS ALMOST A YEAR NOW, AND THE OTHER DAY, IT OCCURED
TO ME THAT IT WOULD BE OF SUBSTANTIAL HELP TO A COACH TO HAVE A
"PRACTICE PASSING BOARD" WHICH PLAYERS COULD USE IN THEIR SPARE TIME
OR WHEN THEY WERE NOT ENGAGED IN TEAM PRACTICE. THE ENCLOSED SKETCH
GIVES THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF SUCH A BOARD. THE MOVABLE DISCS IN THE
CENTER OF EACH TARGET WOULD BE CONNECTED BY MEPAL LEVERS TO A BELL,
WHEN THE TARGETS WERE HIT SQUARELY BY A BASKETBALL, THE BELL WOULD
SIGNAL A STRIKE, OR, A REWARD FOR ACCURACY. PROBABLY THE TARGETS
SHOULD BE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A BASKETBALL. THE CENTBR DISCS SHOULD BE
SMALLER, MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE INCHES IN DIAMETER AND CONTRASTING IN
COLOR. OUR ARMY HAS FOUND THAT WHEN A MAN AIMS AT THE BLACK BULLS-EYE
ON THE TARGET RANGE RATHER THAN AIMING AT THE WHOLE TARGET, HIS -
MARKSMANSHIP INCREASES AMAZINGLY.

I AM ENCLOSING THE SKETCH AND ALSO, MAILING A COPY OF IT AND THIS
LETTER TO MONK EDWARDS IN WICHITA. BOTH OF YOU HAVE MY FULL SANCTION
TO USE IT AS YOU SEE FIT, PERHAPS THE WASTE BASKET. HOWEVER, I AM
INTERESTED IN KNOWING IF THERE HAS EVER BEEN ANY SIMILAR DEVICE USED
BY SOME COACH SOMEWHERE IN THE STATES. IF SO, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE
RESULTS. IF NOT, YOUR OPINION AS TO ITS VALUE WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

SINCERELY,

GO Carhnig