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September 16

Dr, F.C. Allen
- University of Kansas
Lawrence, an.

Dear Doctor Allen:

L am hoping that you have been thinking favorably about my
telegraphic invitation to our holiday basketball tournament and hereby
renew the bid. I'm sure that you aren't familiar with the details of
operation so I'll try to explain.

The tournament was started some eight years ago with the
idea in mind that it would give teams a good three or four-day
drillg in advance of the regular season in some good competition.
Most of the coaches have told me that they find it the best
proving ground for pre-conference seasons,

“e have invited 16 teams to the tournament each year, getting
them from Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Wyoming, etc.
In order to give the teams a maximum of competition, a consolation
playoff was set up, so that the teams could go on playing almost as
long as their coaches wanted them to. Originally, the tournament
ran four days in five--- that is +hursday, “riday, Saturday and Monday.
Last year, because of the press of railroad travel and hotel accomodations
over the weekend, we moved the event into three days--- Monday, tuesday.
and “ednesday and trimmed the playing schedule some.

We are now planning on the same setup this year. ‘hat is
three straight days of play. First-round losers would drop into the
consol#ation bracket and if smmxx successful there, continue until
defeated. Thus each team is assured of at least two games and we
were able to arrange even more games for twice-defeated teams when
the coaches were anxious for then,

Wartime having changed conditions somewhat in the Big Six,
the University of Oklahoma is planning to enter the tournament this
year and we feel that their entrance will add considerably to the
attractiveness of the event.

I also feel that having the University of Kansas in the
tournament would insure its success--- both artistically and financially.
You have many friends on Oklahoma and a host of admirers. Kansas also

has a large number of alumni in our state and I believe you have seen