nites Wress Associations INCORPORATED '!N NEW YORK ee GENERAL OFFICES NEWS BUILDING NEW YORK CITY Written from KANSAS CITY, MO., BUREAU SEPT, 6 ; 1944 SSuRNAL-Post Stra — 600 CITY BANK BLDG. Dear Phog: It having been quite a spekl since I heard from you and, having an ide&A under my benny which I thought we might be able t6 kick around a bit, I figured it was high time to drop you a line. Here's what I've been wondering about, Phpg: What do you look for in the way of post-war collegiate sports? When all these boys come back, battle-hardened, do ioe believe there may be another so-called "Golden Age"’od sports, he like of which we saw after the last war? _.__And what, in particular, will be the collegiate eee Do you’ look for toughér competition because of older and more mature athletes? And do you believe the. comp’ tition among so-called big time coaches for returning stars would be sharper? You've been in this business quite a spell, Coach, and rt have some good recollections from the last post- war period to substantiate your opinions. And bp might tie this all in, if you think it fits, with your belief that we should have a "Landis" over collegiate sports. What eo r= think of the idea? If it clitks with you, I'd appreciate it A lot if you'd just let ‘er run, I'll put’ it into shape on the basis of what you send along. Trust Eyer y thine is going ver it ou. And also that Quig will be able to do a job out there--although I'm an old "M"=--for Missouri--man myself’ Thanks, Phog, and best regards Mr. Sem Smith, United Press Association, 600 City Bank Bldg., Kansas City, Mo. Dear Sam: “Ostober 17, 1944 I received some clippings on my “czar” story. I do not know where you got the idea in your article that I was a “self-styled sage of midwestern coaches". I never have re- presented myself in any way as being one of those things. Another thing ~ I put the burden upon the 4.C.A.A. and only mentioned the A.A.U. in passing. The story in the Denver Post stated the fellows who rm the Amateur Athletic Union should invite the highly proficient baseball and foot- ball executives into their fold, ~- end so on. It is in the | colleges where the great trouble is, and I thought it was rather unfortunately put, not thet T give a rap about the way the A.A.U. rims them, but the people do not care enough about what the A.A.U. does. I believe the emphasis was mis- placed. Sincerely yours, Pireator of Physical Education, Varsity Basketball Coach. Ghrites Dress Aesoctations INCORPORATED 'N NEW YORK eo GENERAL OFFICES NEWS BUILDING NEW YORK CITY Written from KANSAS CITY, MO., BUREAU Oct. 19, 1944 SOE Posts 600 CITY BANK BLDG. Dr. Forrest C. Allen, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kan, Dear Phog: I_ join you in the "shudders" you had at those clirnings. And I would like to say that I'm mighty _ we worked out several nieces together last winter which were on the nose, as far _ were concerned, You see, I knocked out that cony ing the winter myself. This last yarn was rewritten back AS dur EAS I'm not one to sidestern blame when it rests on me. And at the same time, Thog, I don't accent it altogether when it rests somenlace else. That's Always been my eee and it works out fine, I've found, when folks know you mean what you SAY. | _. I shirmed the ne wrote here back to New York because it came in about the time the World Series a orening big-time football games were nt the docket. We hovred to syuceze it in better that way and getk a better start with it. I shivered at that "self-styled" usage in the lead_and read no further, knowing that the niece had been altered and knowing Also that nothing then could be done about it. I am forwarding your letter back to New York. But I wanted you to know the score from this angle, I also wanted to thank you for your consideration in rrenaring that long letter. From here on out, ae — you fix up here in Kansas City and start it on its way rom Then, if anything is wrong, I'1] standsquarely behi ETE. nd it. I'm sorry this harvened and I hone the above clears my shirt. Above all, nlease don't look at it with the thought "alibi" in your mind. I used all of your stuff about the college vrexies and I think that, too, was dro~ved out back east. I'm only sorry I didn't make A cony of my original so you could have it for comrarison rurvoses, UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATIONS Incorporated in New York General Offices News Building New York City Written from , Kansas City, Moe, . Bureau Oeste is, 1944 600 City Hank Bldge Dre Forrest Cs Allen, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kane Dear Phege 3 join you in the "shudders" you had at those clippingse aul : ae ike to say that I'm mighty glad we worked out several pieces together last winter which were on the nose, as far @s you were concernede You see, I knocked out that copy during the winter myself. This last yarn was rewritten back easte I'm mot one to sidestep blame when it rests on mee And at the same time, Phog, I don't accept it altogether when it rests - someplace else. That's always been my philosophy and it works out fine, I*ve found, when folks know you mean what you saye I shipped the copy I wrote here back to New York because it came in about the time the World Series and opening big-time football games were crowding the dockete We hoped to squeeze it in better that way and get a better start with it. I shivered at that Peet usage in the lead and read no further, knowing that the piece had been altered and kmowing also that paeang then could be done about ite I am forwarding your letter back to New York. But I wanted you to know the seore from this angles. I also wanted to thank you for your consideration in preparing that long letter. From here on out, Phog, we'll hold anything you fix up here in Kansas s and start it on its way from here. Then, If anything is ofc, I°1l stand squarely behind ite } “Fn eorry this Imppened and I hepe thh dbove clears ny shirte nove all, please don't look at it with the thought “alibi" in your minde I used all of your stuff about the college prexies and I think that, too, was dropped out back east. I'm only sorry I didn't make a copy of my original so you could have it for comparison purposese Sincerely yours, (signed) Sam Sam Smith I have never charged any college coach with gambling connections in the betting racket. Such action on the part of some might be taken as an effort to becloud the main issue which is the appointment of a national college czar to control gambling rackets and other allied ilis of college athletics, | For instance, I know of two nationally prominent football teams each of whbed had a player sive a asked by professional gamblers to furnish weekly information regarding physical condition, of the players, esprit de corps of the team, and other vital factors,: In return for their information these players were to be paid substantially by the gamblers, This clandestine relationship was discovered and broken up by the respective coaches. | : It is not my intention to play the role of prosecutor, However, the above cases are just two of many in which boys competing in college athletics are being subjected to great temptation under the present set-up. This is the sole reason for my plea to hire a man like Judge Landis who will give to intercollegiate athletics the same high standing that is now enjoyed by professional baseball, WESTERN UNION “New York Ostober 20, 1944 Drs Forrest C. Allen ; Coach of Basketball Kensas University. — International News Service has just called me quoting a story published in the Denver — press purporting that you have mde a direct statement that college basketball players have sold out to gaublers in games played in Madison Square Garden. will you please let me know if statement or any similar statement is correctly attributed to you.If you have made this statement I would appreciate it if you will fwnish me with instances in which players have sold out to gamblers and proof to substantiate these charges so that this Sidtidslibitlines aun vo convepels Ws the pelice and to the colleges whose players were involved. Madison Square Garden has hed the fullest eooperation of the New York ity police in enforoing the law against gambling. We also eupley a large number of special police to assist the city in enforcing the lew against gambling a% all ‘sporting events held in this building. All known gaxblers or persons who have previously been arrested for gambling are barred from entering the building. Will appreciate your prompt responses | Ned Irish Acting President: Madison Square Garden October 17, 1944. Mr. Jack Carberry, Sports Editor, The Denver Post, Denver, Colorado. Our football coach, Mr. Henry Shenk, handed me the copy of your Friday, October 13th, Denver Post sport sheet. There are one or two things in your sporting colwm thet I would like to diwouss, namely, that I an not now nor ever have been jealous of Frosty Cox. I am no more ty then I am of Northwestern's Dutch Lonborg, Kentukky's Adolph Rupp, or Stanford's former John Bunn < all of whom were my boys and who played under me for three years. T had a letter from Frosty dated October 13th, with this postscript: “Picture of the young lady Judith". I had written Frosty re- . garding the possibility of his team coming to Kansas City to play in a four- some with Missouri, Kansas State and Kansas. A year ago last August when Frosty's mother passed away I wrote Frosty expressing my sympathy to him. I just went to assure you that there are bigger things than the competition of basketball. hat father would be jealous of his son? By this I mean not the paternal affection, but certainly a coach would not want to feel small enough to be jealous of one of his pupils. Sometime at your conveniences why don't you ask Prosty Cox how much we pay our basket- ball players at K.U. He was here four years. Ask him if there were any scholarships, any easy money in any way, directly or indirectly. He ought to kmow, shouldn't he? Do you think our actions are in line with our argue ments? Yet I am strong for a commissioner because there it would show the fellows who gan coach; not as it now is, ~ the fellow who can assemble is The only thing that I have ever objected to is when a coach who is hired to coach and not to recruit comes into a state out of his terri- ee tl pays majority of his players from an alien state. I think you know what I mean beoause the very article that I wrote Sem Smith, the United Press sports editor in Kansas City, shows that the evil of which I complained is still very dominent and will be. that you so poignantly s sek Saab ies Ga aoe Z wns glad te read what you had to say because you could have said a lot more end still have kept within the field af te trate, I am sending you a copy of the letter that I had written Sam Smith on September 6. He wrote me then stating that it had been quite some time since he had heard from me, and asked, “What do you look for in ~ae the way of post-war collegiate sports? When all these boys come back, battleehardened, do you believe there may be another so-called golden age of sports, the like of which we saw after the last war? And what, in particular, will be the collegiate experience? Do you look for tougher competition because of older and more mature athletes? And do you believe the competition among so-called big time coaches for returning stars would be sharper? You've been in this business quite a spell, Coach, and probably have some good recollections from the last post-war period to substantiate your opinions. And you might tie this all in, if you think it fits, with your belief that we should have a Landis over collegiate sports.” So you see that there was no desire of mine to present a new motif to get my name in large type. I have said exactly what I think, and I still think something definitely should be done before the war is over. But it will not be done because the sollege presidents and others do not want to stick their necks out as I have done. Regarding the A.A.U., I mentioned them only parenthetically. It was the N.C.A.A. that I was discussing definitely and only threw the A.A.U. in as one that practices deception, but is not important in the picture at Not enough people take the A.A.U. seriously, but many more people do not half realize the dymimite keg that the college teams are sitting on. present. The fact that you have spoken out so plainly stamps you as an individual who knows what is going on and one who is not afraid to say. I think your colum is forcefully stated. FCA:AH Enc. a a vv Sincerely yours, Director of Physical Education, Varsity Basketball Coach. ~ I have never charged any college coach with gambling connections in the betting racket. Such action on the part of some might be taken as an effort to becloud the main issue which is the appointment of a national college czar to control gambling rackets and other allied ills of college athletics. : nationally For instance, I know of two prominent football teams each of which had a player who was asked by professional gamblers to furnish weekly information regarding physical condition of the players, esprit de corps of the team, end other vital factors. In return for their information these players wk to be paid substantially by tha gaubloves This clandestine relation= ship was discovered ak vee up by the respective coachess It is not my intention to play the role of prosecutors However, the above cases are just two of many in which boys competing in college athletics are being subjected to great temptation under the present setup. This is the sole reason for my plea to hire a man like Judge Landis who will give to intercollegiate athletics the same high standing that is now enjoyed b¥ professional baseball. | ora mie ars: eza0 = “yapouooyobzep0 sesroeree ey6 “eine. yySp semen ipre re fo sors Leveou, bok ih. byee eo ve | e tos m jer anit aS e om ere ggtooaoueg eng. phorent i Be pe Loeioeszae oon ogee a ee 9 Ps erg enpe pen pyy Th pA fe Repyonas aye opened es on eer wrapabas