page 5.

between the N.0.A.A. and the A.A.U, that there was verbal war. Major
Palmer Pearson fought so bitterly and personalities were so strong that
it was necessary for Major Pearson to resign his position as president
of the N.C.Asde so that negotiations could be carried on by the A.A.U.

In other words, Major Griffith was leading the fight by staying in the
background. He did not get hurt, but the front men did. ‘Then Major
Griffith negotiated with Avery Brundage and other people, and Major
Griffith emerged the top man. Griffith arranged the deal with Brundage,
saying, Give us control of naming the coaches for track and field, orew,
swimaing and wrestling, and you oan have basketball and the other sports.
In other words, the N.C.A.A. sold basketball dow the river after basket-
ball had been recognized in the Olympic Games. But Major Griffith had
made a ten-strike beoause it gave to him St. John and other powerful
figures in the N.C.A.A. the naming of these Olympic coaches and their
assistant coaches. :

fm all the N.C.A.A. committees Major Griffith and his
group have named coaches in the eight N.C.A.A. districts of the United
States which gives him a powerful leverage. )

The Big Ten is considered the top conference in the
United States, certainly by the Big Ten officials and many others.
Major Griffith, having served as president and now as secretary-treasurer
with Phil Badger of New York as president of the N.C.A.A., has a very
keen insight in the athletic polities of the comtry.

When a ozar is broached those people of the N.C.A.A.
say, Of course we do not need a czar. ie have things well under control.
Major Griffith, in his Pollyama attitude, says God is in His heaven and
everything is all right with the world. Of course there are a few .
isolated cases here and there, but by and large everything is o.k.

: If @ osaxr were appointed the power of Major Griffith and
the N.C.AA. officials would be lessened pereeptibly because this self-
perpetuating body would not function the same as it does now, if a czar
should come in. The A.A.U. was a self-perpetuating body in the sense
that the N.C.A.A. is. They mame the people who work with them. The
chairmen of committees, as you know, are men who are friendly to the
organization. Therefore, that is why the authorities of the N.C.A.A. say
there is no need for a czar. Everything is under control.

I have often thought of Major Griffith as a fuse-pincher
before the spark gets to the keg of powder. He never permits explosions
if he oan help it - always softening the thing by some investigation and