October 30, 1945

Mr. Gordon J. Lange
Walworth, Wisconsin

Dear Mr. Lange:

I have your very good letter of the twenty-third instant and
I am happy to advise you by using my several years of coaching
experience as a basis. I understand why most thams play a certain
type of zine defense, especially on smaller courts. It is much
easier for an wmmschodled team to mass the defense around the 2
basket in the principal of the z@ne rather than to play the man for
man defense. The man for man defense is much more fatguing than
the zone defense.

You state that “we tend to lag and loose many games in the
last quarter after we have seemingly won.” It is for that reason
and others that I use a stratified transitional man for man de-
fense with the gone principal. It is a strata of one with the

strata of the other with a transitional from one to the other.

May 2 explain the situation to you-in a little clearer way.
When two offensive men attack the basket with one defensive
defender the two offensive men, of course, attempt to score. The
defensive man or guard plays the more dangerous one of the two
offensive men who has the ball. llowever, he does not rush out after
~~eitjhdr one but holds both at bay. This guard is using the principal
of zone defense yet he is play ng the more dangerous one of the
two men. Yet he is keeping an alert watch on the pegsibility of
danger from the other man. Yes, it is possible to build an
offense capable of playing against both a gone or a man to man
defense. |

I have written a book called, "Better lasketball", published —
by Whittlesey House, McGraw-i{ill Book Company, Now York, repr.
This text explains exactly the system I use and have been using
here at Kansas for quite some time. I am sending you some
printed matter which gives a description of the book. The book
sells for $4.00 with a $.10 parcel post mailing charge. If you
are interested you might mail me your check and I will be glad _
to autograph the same if you wish and mail-it to you. If after
reading the text on these points that you have raised, if you. lO0e
wish further elaboration you may write me and I will be glad to

    

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clarify any of the points that you desire.

Very cordially yours,

. : Director of Physical Education,
3 Varsity Basketball Coach Fx.

FCA: 1m
Eno.