February 22, 1941

Mre John We Bunn
Dean of Men
Stanford University
Galifornia

Dear Johns

I wes glad to have your letter of February lSe ‘We dave Sut
voters’ tren talubss, Missouri where we were fortunate to eke out a
game on the Tigerse ———— ee
Columbia as evere |

| Now, regarding basketball, I certainly agree that you were not
one of the fellows who argued that the center tap would eliminate the
excessively tall men, but there were a lot who voted for the elimination
of _ tap that nee on — basise

You were pretty warm about the matter when you felt thet Shabby
did not play square with you, but there were just as many who felt that
Ste John and Olsen, when they made a trip to the Pacific Coast and arranged
some games, rather sold out the tap to the Coast people because they wanted
ite

_ You will remember that Ohio State played both football and basket-
ball on the Coast and Saint spent quite sometime politicing out there, so
many of us felt that the center jump ws not eliminated upon its real merits
But I am not sorry besause I have always said that doubtless basketball still
retains so many desirable qualities that it would not are regardless
whether it had the center jump or note

I have not had a chance to read Floyd Rowets article in "Black
and Geld, but as you say this finding was made before the center jump was
eliminated so it would have no bearing on this question at hands Also,

I fee] that there are so many angles to the center jump regarding its affeot
on players that it would take a budget of some $50,000 over a course of |
five years to get a real scientific findings .

I do not believe that we eliminated the center jump on logic or
exact findings but the prejudices and the emotions of people have more
do with this than good, clear, logical thinking. I went you to mow that I
em not campaigning for the center jump and do not care if they ever put it
back, but as you resented the defeat the first time the Pacific boys came
in, so others resented the action when it was legislated out because extraneous
matters should have had no part in the considerations .

With all good wishes, I an,
Sincerely yours,