ee LEE P. BENTON
37 COMMONWEALTH AVENUE
CHESTNUT HILt, MASSACHUSETTS

REPRESENTING
HALLMARK CARDS

February 14, 1943

Dr. Forrest Ce Allen
Athletic Dep't.
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

Dear Phog:

You will probably be surprised to hear from me but I've been
intending towrite you for some time to ask your advice on a matter
-and also to congratulate you on your fine basketball team this year.

I was in Kansas City at Christmas time, but for the first time
since I graduated in 1931 I did not make the trip over to Lawrence to
see my old friends there. I had intended to get over, but when I read
that you were on a trip to Buffalo and New York City I decided not to
make the trip. I did want to see the book presented to you on your
25th anniversary and also wanted to get a glimpse of your team. Is
there a chance that you will be playing again in New York in March in
the Invitation Tournament? If so, I would appreciate it if you would
let me know. Boston being a poor basketball town the only news I get
on this sport is from the occasional Kansas City paper sent to me by
my mother or the occasional New York Times I buy.

I had a complete nervous breakdown last year about this time
which the doctors at the Lahey Clinic here said was brought on by a
number of things, such as overwork, late hours, living alone, irregular
meals, irregular sexual intercourse, etc. My weight went down from
190 to 159 pounds. The doctors also said they thought I should try
to keep active in some sport the year ‘round inasmuch as I had always
been so active in all sorts of athk tics in high school and college.

Of course I ama golf bug in the summer, but have not taken up any
sport the rest of the year until last spring after my illness. I

used to bowl a lot in Kansas City, but they bowl only the candle pins
here which do not appeal to me. After a month in Florida to recuperate
last year I returned to Boston and joined the Y-M.C.A. fhe exercise
did wonders for me, and after a summer of golf I compk tely regained
my physical health and I now weigh 202 pounds, the most I've ever
weighed in my life. Do you need a good tackle at K. U. next fall?

This fall I again joined the Y.M.C.A. and one night while shooting
baskets the basketball director walked up to me and asked me where I
had played. He had heard of you and asked me if I wouldn't play on
one of their league teams. I have played in several of their games
and get a big kick out of it--in fact caged 9 baskets in about 15
minutes one night recently. However, a couple of doctors have strongly
advised me to give this up asthey say at 35 I am too old for such
strenuous exercise as basketball as played today. Of course I have
refused to play more than 15 minutes at a time, but they seem to think
that is even too much. In a recent physical checkup I was found to be
perfect in every waye ‘The other players in this league are all under
30, most of them being 17 to 24 years of age. What would be your
advice on this? I know you will tell it to me straight.