UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
COLUMBIA

December 9, 1942.
Bix Six Basketball Coaches.
Gentlemen:

Missouri will again start home basketball games
at 8:90 pem, for all contests with conference opponents
$26a6% tor Nebraska and Iowa State when the games will start
at 7345 Dae

Two reasons have caused us to refuse the request
of our conference visitors for a 7230 pem, starting time.

. 1. Kansas, Kansas State and Oklahoma will not be hurt
by an 8:00 o'clock start since rail connections to the West
on the 9345 pem, Wabash are now almost impossible. Previously
it was possible for a team to have a sleeper set out at
Columbia. This car was moved at 9:45 and connected to a main
line train at Centralia about 3:00 a.m, for arrival in Kansas
City at 7350 agm

Special sleeper service has been discontinued on all
rail lines, I am told by Wabask officials. Teams going West
of out Columbise at 9:45 this season will have to use chair
cars to Centralias sit in the station there for four hours};
and probably occupy smarts chair cars into Kansas Citye
We anticipate, therefore, that at least three of our opponents
will stay in Columbia over night and that an 8:00 o'clock
game will be no inconvenience for theme

Nebraska and Iowa State both travel from Columbis to
Ames. They will be able to catch a sleeper at Centralia at
11:00 pem, and thus will leave Columbia at 9:45 Dem as usuale
For them we have moved the starting time to 7345 pem

2, Our most important reason for not starting earlier in
all games concerns a war situation in Columbia. Arrangements
have been made between University officials and commander of
the local U.S.Navy unit for naval use of the Field House from
8300 agm to 5:00 peme daily except Sundsy. This demand for
space has prevented us from installing enough bleachers for our
basketball spectators. We must erect some sections of the
bleachers in the interval between 5:00 pem, and game time. We
estimate this job will take approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Navy requirements keep us from installing more than the lower
section of our big West bleacher. Our seating capacity at best
will hardly exceed 3,000, about one half normale Even with our
— plans we can not take care of our 3,200 season ticket

Oiderse

We hope that each of you will understand that our

refusal of your request for a 7:30 pem. starting time is forced
upon us by conditions over which we have no control.

Yours trul
Per let

George R. Edwards.