A

October 8, 19357.

lip, W. H, Wy Hardwick, President,
Ganddian Amateur Basketball Association,
7983 Heather Street,

Vancouver, B. G,

Dear Mr, Hardwick:

Thank you for your very good letter of the 50th
. ultimo regaréing the difficulties that find yourself in
with the AAU of C. May I state my position briefly?

Dr, James Naismith, Professor of Physical Educ-
ation here at the University of Kansas since 1898, a Canadian
by birth and naturalized y after the World War, has a
tremendous enthusiasm ané interest in besketball in this part
of the country. I have been associated very closely with Dr.
Naismith sinee 1902. - ’

; In the early days the AAU perhaps did sreat good
in enlisting the activities of the younger generation in the
athletic clubs and in industrial organizations of the country.
The Y.M.C.A. had an organization of its own. Of course, the
game was originated at Springfield ¥.M.G.A. College, and
naturally the Y.M.CG.A.'s took the lead. They did nothing
much about basketball until along in 1905 when they began
to function, but unless the AAU can make money ont of anything
they soon let it drop.

The National AAU Basketball Tournament went
begging even as late as 1920 and 1921. Atlanta and some of
the seuthern tewns did take it, but it was rather a begging
orphan until the Kansas City A 4e Club in Kansas City
bogan to promote it. The Kansas City people built it up
until they had crouds of ten and 12 thousand people in |
attendance at a single game, then it began to net $6,000
$8,000 and $10,000 to the promoters. Just at that time the
AAD went broke, ond when I say broke, I mean flat broke, and
they began te look around and levy on the things that were
making the money. Up to thet time thr AAU got but ten per
cent of the income and the promoters got the swag, leaving
the boys who pleyed net with the real expense money but just
as much as the promoters could get by with, and that was all.