It stands as a monument, indeed, to American youth—to American
college youth—that boys so situated have had the qualities which have
given them the courage to face the temptations which admittedly
surround them in the atmosphere as described—not by Allen, remember,
but by Carver.

* 7 *

VERYBODY is praiseful of Ned Irish and for all he has done’ for’

basketball. This New York sports writer did, without doubt, put
the cage game on “the big time” as it has been stated. It is very “big
time” now—a regular circuit in which college boys are used as performers
in a series of stands, exactly as are touring professionals, theatrical
companies and such. This circuit extends outward from the Garden to:
Buffalo and Philadelphia—towns in which the visitors to the Garden are®
built up for their Broadway appearance.

But that isn’t college athletics.

If Madison Square and its branches want to run this kind of
a show then let. Madison Square set up a pro league, just as foot-
ball has set up its pro league. /

Then let basketball, as does football and baseball, have its czar,
capable of handling the New York situation.

Personally this department is not concerned in the slightest with
Allen’s charge that “GAMES ALREADY HAVE BEEN THROWN.”
The past, in that respect, is the past. I hope and trust that Ned Irish
will not release the names demanded by him, and according to the news
associations, supplied by Allen. This would do no good whatever.

What is needed is for the gentlemen named above to sit down in
council right now, as the 1944-45 season approaches, and do the only
honest, decent thing basketball—college basketball—can do.

Give the game hack to the colleges—and the college kids.

Let Madison Square, if it wants to, set up its pro league as did
football, and before it baseball.

I, for ene, wouldn’t want a kid of mine being kissed by a New

York gambler who just won $15,000 on his basket—nor would I

want that kid living thru his pregame hours in rooms around

which it was necessary to throw cordons of detectives with sev-
ered telephone connections, and men coming to doors asking “how
much?” to throw the contest.
_ A little honesty—athletic honesty—by the men at the head of
N. ¢. A. A. and the basketball scandal of 1944 will be forgotten.

Failure to act and the things ‘“Phog’’ Allen predicts will happen

as svre as today is Monday.