Ea UUTL.
THE tie tt FOR MEN

919 NORTH MICHIGAN AVENUE
CHICAGO

ARNOLD GINGRICH ,EDITOR

October 7, 1941.

Dr. Forrest ©, Allen

Department of Physical Education
University of “ansas

Lawrence, Kansas.

Dear Dr. Allen:

I was very glad to get your letter of Uetober 3 reporting that you are

already working on a basketball article for Esquire. With regard to style,

I believe you will find Esquire quite free of iron-bound restrictions or inhibitions,
and you need not worry about calling a spade a spade. They want chiefly good,

live, forceful copy that will arouse interest or controversy from one end of the
country to the other.

The rotating center idea struck me as both interesting and timely, in view of the
apparently growing criticism of basketball as a killer in its present form. I want
you to feel perfectly free to speak openly and strongly, especially with reference
to changes that may be needed for the future benefit of the game.

With respect to the Olympic thoughts, 1 might suggest that in view of the apparent
permanent death of the Olympic Games this time at the hands of the Germans, perhaps.

they are no longer of news value. I happened to be working with Mr. Brundage on the
Olympic promotion when it all blew up under me over-night. tn addition, we had an article
touching on this a few years ago, as per inclosed clipping you requested.

Nevertheless, basketball at the present moment seems to be in a stage of turbulent
transition, and an authority like yourself interpreting this confusion,and perhaps
pointing the way for its future certainly should make a wonderful article of interest
to everyone who has any interest in the game at all. The moment seems to be just
right for such a comprehensive survey of the present state of Blux, and the needed
introduction of some clarifying agent that might save the sport from actually blowing
up.

In our Sports Poll summary (and incidentally we may include the rotating center idea

in our next Poll) we found considerable comment in favor of a return of the center—jump.
In fact, you probably will be interested to learn that the public voted in favor of

its return, although sports editors and athletic directors voted against the center—jump.
There is no question that the center-jump gives more variety to the game, and offers
opportunity for the development of set plays that are very pretty when smoothly
executed. The objection is mainly , of course, the exorbitantly tall center, but your
"batting order" idea would eliminate that.

Let me add that we would be most happy to have your article for our February issue,
which will circulate during January, and for that purpose would need your copy by
November 1.

I enjoyed your letter to your players very much. I played basketball and baseball at
James Millikin years ago, and your pep talk really warmed me up on the inside. Those
were the only two games to me, yet oddly enough in the newspaper game I became

identified as a football writer-—-a game I had played very little.
Cordially, Batk ae