INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA NORMAN - OKLAHOMA March 4, 1942. Dr. F. C. Allen Kansas University Lawrence, Kansas. Dear Dr. Allen: I have just received a feeler from Madison Square Garden to see if it would be possible for Oklahoma University to pay in the Rider's Tournament, held March 16 in Kenses—City. 72. me I am writing all of the basketball coaches to plead my humble case before your faculty representative before I ask Walter Kraft to take a vote. If, however, I do not receive favorable replies of the majority of schools in the Big Six I will begrudgingly let the matter drop. I have no assurance that we'll even be asked, but if we are I don't think it is necessary for me to tell you what it would mean to a basketball coach to participate in this basketball classic. I scheduled only seventeen games, one short of the Big Six quota. If we should be invited and drop our first game, we would still be within our legal rights. The permission that I want would grant me an opportunity to continue in this eight-team tournament if we are fortunate. If permission is granted we would fly back, keeping the boys away from their studies as little as possible. I wish to state however, that the scholastic standing of my basketball squad is well above the average. The eight boys that I plan to take back have a Be average, consequently I do not think they would suffer from a scholastic standpoint if they happen to miss three or four days of school. There is no use of me telling you how thrilled Oklahoma was in wining that ' ball game from you last Friday night, but the one thing that pleased me more than anything else was the fact that the crowd is finally awakening to the fact that booing has no legitimate place at a basketball game. It is going to take time, but working through the channels that you have used at Kansas, through your lettermen's organization, I think we can reach the ultimate goal that all coaches should strive for, and that is the education of the basket- ball fans to good basketball when they see it and also the respect and courtesy that is due visiting teams. May I hear from you at your earliest possible convenience, so I might turn this matter over to Walter Kraft, provided, of course, that I receive favorable consid- eration from at least four Big Six Schools. a / Bruce Dr S Basketball Coach. Congratulations on your Kansas State game!