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Maroh 4, 1944.

Mr. Hugh Fullerton, Jr., : ‘
The Associated Press,

50 Rockefeller Plaza,

New York, N.Y.

Deay Hugh:

| I wis pleased to have your letter of the 15th instant.
The 12 foot basket did not arise from thin air. In 1931 several of
the mentors in the National Assooiation of Basketball Coaches kicked
on the excessively tall player. They contended that if we oliminated
the center jump that the elimination would drive the tall, gangling
player out of the game who was only good for the center tap.

I maintain thet the tall player was dangerous under the de-
fensive basket. At that time I recomended a rotation of the center
jump, as we have the batting order in baseball. Each coach would list
his men in their regular jumping order and when a goal was made the
ball would be brought back to senter and we would use a rotation of
the jump. It would be a very easy mbter for the scorer's tabie to
have a series of five numbers. Lights could easily be flashed on to
aid the offioial to show what pair were jumping.

Since we still have held balls, which are used for juap
balis, it would have been no different than we now have - only more
of it. But a small, powerful bleck eliminated the center jump because
many gullible coaches really believed that eliminating the center juap
would eradicate the tall player trouble.

The crackpot idea should be attributed to these confused
members of the Rules Committee who are making discriminatory rules
against one type of defense and permitting the offense full freedom.
Even though they should rule against the goal-tender, if you will
watch most of the shots for the goal they are the “skimmer” type of
shot. There are no arch shots and a 7 foot player ean stand in front
or et the side of a basket and bet away most of those balls. ‘There
are very few players who shoot a high, arching loop shot for the
basket, and this tall player will ruin the “skimmer” type of shot.
You will see plenty of tall boys in the Invitational Tournament and
there will be not just one 7 foot boy, but several close to it.

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