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January 16, 1945.

Mire Roy A, Edwards, A-8&. V7,
U.8.N.R. Midshipman's School,
Room 710, Tower Hall,

820 Tower Court,

Chicago, Illinois.

Dear Roy:

De@ighted to hear from you from Chieage. I was sure that it

- would be some different than what a fellow expects, but of course any
change from college life is always a downhill slide and not an uphill
glide. College life is the happiest time in all the world for a
young fellow, I believe.

oe

I wish you might have been here when we smeared it on Mr. Jack
Gardner. And then of course Missouri and Oklahoma and Oklahoma Aggies —
tripped on the Kansas machine, but we looked pretty poor against Okla-
homa Aggies last Wedtiesday night. Ray Bvans always plays his seintillat-
ing, earnest, hard-driving game. He is a great boy and I have never |
had a finer chap on any team than Ray. He is modest, ginsere, cooperative
and an A Number One fellow in every reapest. You and I ce: agree
one hundred per cent on him and I am glad that you have been able to show
him as meny fine sides of the existence of life as you have. I have al-
ways noticed how considerate you have been of his welfare, and I know

- that through the years when Ray is a big fellow in his own right and
he is in position to help young men he will do a great job. :

| We have finally determined on the five-man "ironman" team. They
go through without a hitch most of the » but in the last few games
I have been inserting Bill Brill-end he has been doing a good job of it.
_ He always goes in if anybody is off their game a little. Bill hurt his
knee, you know, and is not in tip top shape, but fits very nicely into

7 ‘ Views Alums 308 end Jeebel ave: i) Fike, andthe: Heneee creel ave
back on their old happy vein when the Kansas team is rolling. I tell you
frankly I did not expect the fine record the Kansas team is making.

i I do want to tell you one thing that stamps Ray as a great chap,
end he doubtless is responsible for the team's success as mich or more
than anyone else. Ray won the Fordham game with a last minute goal after
a fast drive down the floor anda lay-up on the backboard. Charlie

Black had been disqualified when we were leading Fordham by 14 points, on
four personal fouls. Our lead scon melted away and Fordham went ahead.
Ray took hold, and although very few people know it, wrote Charlie a very
fine letter after the game and said, "Charl ie, the thing that gave me
courage to fight was seeing you on the side lines standing up and cheering