August 26, 1940 Mro Ralph Miller c/o Cross-Section Department Kansas State Highway Masonic Building Topeka, Kansas My dear Ralph: I have just returned to Lawrence from my week in Topeka at the Coaching School and I have been learning some very disquieting things regarding your attitude and the things that you have been saying concerning Kansas basketball. These statements are not mrer heresy, but are things that you have said to University of Kansas people. For nearly a year I have noticed you seem to be fighting your- self not only in athletics but in social and other contactse The things that I say to you are said with the full kmowledge of all of our previous relationshipse You will remember our conversation to Chanute when you were making up your mind regarding Kansas and Stanforde I told you that if you would come to the University and make an outstanding scholastic record and be the example on the campus that you should be, that I would recommend you as freshman coash in the University, and I had hoped that your football play would be of such high caliber that the football coach would want you as, at least, a freshman assistant, if not freshman coache When you wanted certain favors in the way of a@ position for your girl friend, I did this not because she was incapable but she was a fine outstanding girl and could earn every penny that she worked fore At the same time I did it to show you that I would cooperate with you one hundred percent. Then when your brother came to college, you asked me for a job for him and I did it willingly and happily. At no time have there been any reservations in my mind regarding my desire to help you as a man, but I did not do it on account of your athletic ability. I have never believed that anybody's athletic ability could carry him very far unless they had the other things that it takes. It is needless for me to go into a long resume of the things that I have innately and conscientiously desired to do for youe I am afraid I have reached the limit of my helpfulness to youe Infact, I am certain of it when you make the statements that you doe It is for that reason that I am writing you this letter before school opens, to appraise you of the fact that it would be impossible for you to play on the Kansas Varsity Baketball Team this year with the attitude that you now possesse Page Two While you my think that you might be a benefit to the Kansas basket= ball team with your present mental state, 1 wish to tell you here and now that you would be a positive detriment and I would not want youe This may help you in your conclusions as to what you may want to do this year regarding attending the University of Kansase You are in no physical condition to participate in any strenuous inter-collegiate sport at the present timee Your training habits have not been such that are conducive to varity playe Very cordially yours, Director of Physical Education and Recreation Varsity Basketball Coach FCA:1g OCnct —tn a 7 Ue die ton tod be eat prin fw | J RDS 2s ate thane Ae ply bgnelled Shee vetinn19Hes y ; CAPITOL HOTEL TOPEKA, KANS : F2tah as HOTEL BOTHWELL SEDALIA ,MO. a 4 Say Oe, HOTEL TIGER CAL Ce — COLUMBIA ,MO. : HOTEL MISSOURI LE wows A kuf JEFFERSON CITY. . MO. wear Ar i , 7 TIOGA INN . ' CHANUTE, KANS. i = Sf at Ae PALE THE HOTEL ATCHISON 4 : ATCHISON, KANS. one Le Thaw lg Cong Tet tue. Wek, wall | Fitna pore he whet mal oes | LL Avkcch 1 rate, tre ei se Mena, haf tome Ax lye and SJ Lave Atabged cone t 4 Con flele Aes P Lod terre, ard tbh. >10 org homesteeest Zhan Broke, Lhe dns Ae taker that 0ovr hietten lp and wtherieecs LS ae Lip fT sly guilend truth 9th 9 TOPEKA,KANS. 7 Coe ee “SMG Merc, 4, ” LL LE £1 maglf a Mad Fes ae Anat Sn. Wr Sele ie hoe | —_ Bye ath the blrtr and 2b I ‘coal Fro G eta ee H TIOGA INN THE HOTEL ATCHISON smn hiof ope ctl Cites te. 7 4 —_ ae Ge ee b hase Mets <2 ea | ) ede 4 NY ff Cie es ew ae BERS COPY COPY COPY SWEET HOTELS, INC. Topeka, Kansas Auge 27,5 1940 Dear Dre Allen, I just received your letter this morning and got exactly what was coming to mee I believe had you said a person rather than people it would have been a much truer statement as far as I am concernede I do not doubt that many people may have told you plenty because I know how those things goo However, I have only once in Topeka said anything that may have been bad or out ef line for you, KeUe or anyone concerned. The minute that was over I have deeply regretted my actions and have regretted them more as the summer passed one As you may or may not know last year's basketball was a great and bitter disappointment to me, probably more so than to anyone elses Naturelly I suppose the best way out was to find fault with everyone else but yourself, which is exactly what I did in many incidents. Since that time much water has passed under the bridge and I have realized what a complete ass I had been, and Dre no one knows it better than I doe The one time was all I have said that might be taken wronge Whatever anyone else has claimed that I have said is all wrong. That was the only timee The two boys I spoke with are KoUe grads of a few years back, If they broadcasted anything I deserve all of the credite Other than those two I have said nothing as once is enough for mee I have made the statement several times that we may be a big disappointment to people next year because they are all expecting so much from use I believe you will bear me out in that statemente True we will have & great ball club especially on the offenses However, you know how much Don, Dick, and Bruce meant to ourdefensee If we can overcome those weak points we should undoubtedly be bettere That is the one statement I have made more than oncée | There is also another item you have evidently been misinformed about | and that is my training habitse I have been training very well as a whole all | alonge I admit that I have been smoking some but certainly not to excesse Aside from that my training habits have been on @ par with anyone'se I have not been smoking during seasons or anything like that. I have no smoking habit and can get along without it as easily as note To me it is just something to do at times and that's that. I certainly do not enjoy it at all times, in fact more often than not it is repulsive to me. Now, Dre you know my bad training habits and I don't believe you would call my problem a serious onée Dre you sent me a straight letter with facts and nothing ' else and I'm glad you dide This one to you is exactly the same waye It's straight, truthful and fact. I have taken yours as so and everything else you've ever said to mee Now, I expect you to do the same when you receive this lettere moe Doc, I have appreciated everything you ever done for me or my friendse I certainly want you to kmow that you have always been my greatest aid and advisor in college and I am glad you weree You have done much to help me and I won't ever forget ite I know when you helped Jean and Dick why and what fore It helped them both as schooling would have been impossible for both otherwisee They are both deeply grateful to you for ite I don't believe you were disap-= pointed in eithere If you were I hope you will let me knows I know my grades and etce were poor the first 3 semesters of collegee However, you know they have improved and that I am way above the board nowe I am sorry if I have failed in other respects. For the last year I tried hard to please everyone I could and make friends and those who disliked me change their mind somee I really thought I was doing bettere Doc, I told you before that if I had not made myself scholastically eligible and otherwise, that I would expect anything from youe We made a man's bet and I intend to keep up my end of ite Naturally you are the one who determines my worth and whether or not I made goode That's the way it was and still is as far as I am concernede Until this summer my athletics were to important to mee Now, it has a different light to mee I honestly believe your many lectures and etce on scholarship first and athletics first has gone home. Athletics have taken a different color to mee I believe for the best to. I have never intentionally let anyone down in any ball gamee I have tried what was my best at the time even though it was very poor at timese I could never do that Doc because I love to win to well. About my attitude Doce It's changed so much lately. It's really a pleasure to look to next year. If I ever have it Doc I shall have it when I play againe My attitude will be the beste You can thank Jean for thate She has done so much for me even though she thinks so littlee I am lucky I have her and I hope my luck never failse Doc your the coach what you say goese If you want to use me you'll get the best I've gote Otherwise I*tll be on the side rootinge There is a lot here but it's all straight and you can take it for what you think it's worthe I slipped once with my mouth and all I can say is I'm sorry and never againe Doc whether or not I goto school depends entirely on Dre Franciscoe His decision is final and law to me. Nothing else will enter into the decision I makee You don't think I'm in shape and I can't go the routee Im not sure about that myselfe I think I can if my legs aren't shote Actually Doc, I'm better than I figurede If you think I'm not explain to mée I've kept myself as best as I can what these inactive 5 months will do I* don't knowe Excuse all the blots and etce and mispelled wordse I wrote during my noon hour and I had to hurrye Im not offering excuses heree I know myself ‘I've been wrong and I can prevent it from occurring agains Sorry to have caused so much comment and trouble, but someone's CYrazye Best wishes and I remain as usual Cappy The job with Je Ve Hamilton is still open. I've told him of Frede Would like to hear from youe (JeVo Hamilton ) (NeYeA. Offices ) (New England Blidge) (Topeka, Kansas ) Anchorage, Kentucky September 2, 1940 Mre Ralph Miller Kansas Highway Depte Topeka, Kansas My dear Ralphs; I received your very frank letter and I assure you that I believe you wrote me from your deeper convictionse I want you to know, however, that not one person but several persons--five or six--spoke to me concerning their disappointment in your failure to measure up to the standard they had set for youe In Topeka, people told me of your drinking in public and of your smoking cigarettes, of your being out atiall hours, of your seldom ever getting in--except in the wee hours of the mornings I think that I told you that soon after the Indiana-Kansas game, faculty members who were not on the Athletic Board came to me and told me of conversations which they had with your father==these same resembling the statements which you have been making in Topekte When we had luncheon with Dre Kirkpatrick, at the Pennant, ina friendly gesture I caught hold of your arm and was struck by the lack of tone in your brachial musclese I realize that it is perhaps not for me to outline your social behavior during vacation timee But I do know that your behavior during the sumer months is a pretty accurate barometer as to your schooletime physical condition and your mental attitudese But when a chap makes seditious remarks concerning his super= iors that is doubly bade It was these remarks which called forth the reprimande In addition to the loyalty to your school, your organization, and your coach, there is the added obligation which you owe to the young people who watch you for their inspiratione They are watching every move you makee This is the price that we pay either for public acclaim or for public censure--as the case may bee It may be that I set my goal too high for youe-for your attain- ment of the durable things of life==the making and the keeping of fast friends--the procurement of a good jobeemarriage--children--and all of these and more to be favorably introduced by your successful athletic careere And no boy whom I have ever met was ahead of you, in my desire to see this dream come truée meee You speak of the loss of Dick Harp, Don, and Bruce, and of our possible weakend defense. I know and appreciate their talents and praise their exceptional abilitiese Yet we lost the championship the year beforee You saw Dick during his junior year pley perhaps the sourest basketball] imaginablee His fault was not physical, It was mentale Since I have the job of coaching the team, why not leave these problems of coaching entirely up to me, realizing that for 22 years at Kansas I have been faced with such similer problems. What I most desire is your loyalty to the extent that you Will realize that I know my business well enough to reshape both the offense and the defense to meet this exceptional situation. And I will do it, I assure youe "Yours is not to reason, ‘Why?' Yours is but to do or diee" | Your grades are not good enough for a boy who has as much intelligence as you havee You should now have better than a B averazee Ralph, I do feel deeply the failure that you have made so far in college-= the failure to make the great mass of athletes and athletic followers admire youe You felt this absence of admiration enough last football season to speak to Gwinn Henry about ite The basketball season did not offer the same embarrassments in your personal relationships, but the bare facts are that you have not been a leader either on or off the campuse Emphatically, I have desired this very very much for youo I have said things verypleinly. So that you will not mis- understand mée I admire you very much for the same straightforwardness - expressed in your letter. You have been honesto When you come back, I want to sit in a room with you and tell you some things which are awkward on papere They will deal with the proper conceptions of train« ing, conditioning, loyalties, friendships, dating, and your possible ultimate successe When I return to Lawrence, about September 8th, I hope to have this friendly and important conferences Sincerely, PeSe The very next day after our luncheon together in Topeka, I called on Je Vo Hamilton and Miss Anne Laughlin at the NeYeAo Headquarters rée Fred Harrise I do not lose many opportunities in endeavoring to put one of our boys over. I thank you for again calling my attention to thise : ad wR EBAD Fe GP pop ‘ a 55 sy Gf eA je ss wee 5 me : Be & no ikl gi ‘ ay foes ‘ i ‘ ; (ric ante ty ew Mey ee emer if Xa Pi ea IN a ig dies sh A Re ace ee AAA at tS et ee Pe eal el Sa ik ey taal hee Sea eens Cem eel ore RE RUUBLY eB ce aman pa esa i graces oer AM eS na eae eee a Ee es foes. vad Aeisil ni Sy She OTe an eRe OMT ne cl an gre ese C. B. FRANCISCO, M. D. Orthopaedics SUITE 623 ARGYLE BLDG. “SES tonveP Sth, 1940 Mr. Gwynn Henry, Direetor of Athletics University of Kansas 7 Lawrence, Kansas Dear Mr. Henry: In ret Ralph Miller. BONSAI ESS ORS RRR | I wanted to tell you that I saw Ralph Miller at the elinie at Lawrence, Kansas on August SOth, 940, and on the whole I am fairly well pleased with his kne@. , He has some relaxation of the jor - not more than one expects after removal of thel|& and external semilunar cartilage. He is appare tly symptom free, in that he makes no compsad of ft He said that he had been“tesac— walking, end that he had p. d a little soft bal, one run the bases for him had dgwe-~no wrk of Wy that put any stress on the joint. As I wrote you of Aun 940, If at the time of the last operatign, May 74*2, 1940, that the articular cartilage of the externg@i 96fiyle had worn away somewhat, and I realized then that{t(would require time for this cartilage to be reggnel . A \ now that it would ‘be best td pngage in any competitive will repair #fd the joifi farther trouble with th competitive Atilet s heal to the point that he will have no mee, and that he could then go back into y & big Ways | mZ“Aittle afraid that he will try to get back into shape, even though he doesn't get into athletics this year and I fear if he makes such an attempt he is ssueay se oe 11s knee, and that if he < o to stay out of athletics then he should stay out completely and take no chances with this knee, be+ cause I do feel that he could injure it rather easily and thet if he does injure it egaim there would be noway that I know of to repair it, My recommendations are then: that he keep out of athletics molly and come oy for this next year: that he refrain from all sorts of | athletic sports: that if he is not willing to refrain completely then I think he just as well go into competition. « Ralph Mill C. B. Francisco, MeDe September 25, 1940 “tay eadable friend, eit Ws as, dak ena de: nis Gia Meme of © Lotter tAAW Ed tae written 06 ! | ee 3 to the new boards Ge tar on I on ccnterned, Ge not think exy ot bid aokeatiate tre wepttant le; and @s I have already voted for the steel] board I would like to know what the agreement was between the coachess Was it necessary for the vote to be umanimous, or is it the feeling that we all had better go along with the old large board,or wait until such a time that Mr. —=— OC shooters to hit the enaller board? | Please let ne Inve your reply at an early datos Gaeety veils | Director of sjatond Raueation and Reereation . Varsity Basketball Coach : FOAslg G3. Jack Gardner PeSo It took just fifty years to change the backboard _ to the new streamline board, and it will be a good many years before there will be another change, so say the rule mkerse PeCohe October 4, 1940 e Louis Menge Seach Cellege : oe _ The enelesed carbon copy of Mrs Placzek's letter and mine ere self-explanatory, I will appreciate it if you will send him the information he desires BigeSix Conference, and also the none conference schedules, if you have them available. By the way, Louie, what about the stecl backe it Se ti uni] onee, 1 think we should agree to one or the other and settle the mttars Tabla weey wnth: Lila Se Abbie tp hte weekend and see the Iowa Stete-lansas game, but I will not be able to do so under the conditionse With all good wishes to ments Gevrae and . keith, I am, Sincerely yours, Director of Physical “ause tion and Recreation Varsity Basketball Coach October 17, 1940 Mre Louis Menze Basketball Coach Iowa State University Ames, Iowa Dear Louiss This is merely to inform you that we purchased . ‘the Medart pressedesteel backboardse We do not have them up as yet but it will be @ great confort in having near uniformityse — With all good wishes, I am, Sincerely yours, Direotor of Physical Education and Recreation Varsity Basketball Coach | FCAsig October 3, 1940 ‘7an ie ene Ge dee Of tae Last Spring when we had our meeting on this subject, we went on record that the majority vote would Py Se a boards were in the process of being made, They are — just now finished. We naturally will buy steel boards, since that is the vote of the majority of coaches. Ie Me dugus’ 23, 1940 P 4 oe o# ¥ - | Es ; te Bs 3 ih i Dial 4 i sa i it eal hia ee t ai li NEW BASKETBALL BACKBOARD Since the legalization of the smaller streamlined basketball backboard by the National Committee, there have been significant developments. Correspondence dur- ing the summer indicates that most of the gymasiums which have been completed dure ing the past few months and many of the older gymmasiums will use the new type back» board. Equipment manufacturers have made a contribution to the game by bending their ef- forts toward construction of such boards of durable and rigid material at reason= able cost. One of the factors which influenced the National Committee was the matter of economy in construction. The first steel backboards of the traditional rectangular design presented many problems and it was not uncommon for such boards to cost one hundred dollars or more per pair. Several excellent steel boards are now being stamped by mammoth stamping machines and the boards are available at a cost of considerably less than half of the stated amount. Several reliable manus, facturers are producing the steel boards at a cost of forty dollars or less per pair. Such boards are announced in the National Federation Basketball Rules Book by firms such as the Medart Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, Missouri, and the J. E. Porter Corporation, Ottawa, Illinois. For those schools where it is desired to have the boards made by the manual traine ing department, plans are available Mr proper construction. One of these plans is furnished by Schutt Manufacturing Company, Litchfield, Illinois, and is shown in the accompanying diagram. (NOTE TO STATES: Plates showing exactly how to construct board and one showing gym= nasium viow of board in use are being sent to those states which have subscribed to this complete press service.) Goals to fit tho new boards have been constructed in such 2 way that there is a minimum obstruction of view and of interference with activities bohind the plane of the backboard. Such goals may be secured at a reasonable cost from any of the above mentioned manufacturers and from similar manufacturers. (Insert zinc plate 3 by 5) Reasons for Change Since the origin of the game, backboards have boen rectangular in shape, six feet wide and four feet high. The basket was attached one foot above the lower edge of the board. During the carly years of the game, this shape and size were desirable. Tho space bolow the levol of the basket was necessary because the old style basket braces were fastened to the board about one foot below the basket. In recent ycars developments in gymnasium equipment construction have made these cumbersome braces unnecessary. Consequently the chicf use for most of the space on the backboard be» low the level of the basket has disappcared. Another reason why the space at the bottom of the board was in uso was because the early ball was considerably larger than the present one. The maximum size for such balls was 32 inches in circumfor-. ence and because of the difficultics in the then known mothods of construction, most balls stretched to the maximum size soon after being placed in use. In recent years the size of the ball has been reduced to a minimum of twenty nine and one= half inches and a maximum of thirty inches. Improved methods of construction have resulted in a ball which can be made any given size and which will not stretch dur- ing use. Conscquontly all balls are now made almost cxactly twenty nine and one= half inches. The balls also have a slightly fastcr reaction due to improved.mpthods f construction which has climinated all? scwed seams and consequently all dead spots which were inherent in balls made by sewing pancls of leather and cloth to- gether. This change in type of ball is related to the new type backboard. A slightly different technique is usod in bank shots. This change in technique has resulted in the lower part of the backboard being waste space. Page two < The simple rectangular shape was adapted to unskilled methods of construction. It was not uncommon for country schools to construct backboardsby using the bumpboard from a corn husking wagon or some similar contraption. The simplest type of car- pentry is required in the making of a rectangle. It merely required 2 hammer, a aw and a square. In fifty years many changes have occurred. More care is given the accurate construction of playing equipment and inoxpensive boards made of stecl, plywood, bakelite or other synthetic materials have been developed. An improved type of basket without projecting brace rods has been perfected and engincers have designed flanges which made attachment of baskets to the backboard a simple matter. There is no difficulty in producing any shape and there seems no good reason for not eliminating the waste space which is found at the corners and margins of the old rectangular boarde , Changes in the location of the backboard with reference to the end wall and the end line and the development of new skills in throwing field goals from behind the plane of the backboard have made the waste space on the large board a detriment. It also interferes considerably with the vision of spectators who may be compelled to sit in parts of the building which are not between the planes of the two backboards. The game has developed in such a way that it is a real problem to provide a suf- ficient number of seats from which the game may be viewed. Basketball courts have a maximum cf only eighty six fect for seats on the sidelines between the planes of the two baskets. There is almost no other game that has this handicap in visibil- ity. Anything that can be done to relieve this difficulty is worthwhile. (Insert halftone here 3 by 4) The Transition Period The transition to the smaller backboard may be gradual. As far as expense is con- cerned, there should not be a great deal of waste in making the change. Very few schools, clubs or playgrounds have a sufficient number of backboards. In case new ones are to be installed, the old boards can be moved to a cross court to permit additional use of the playing space by greater numbers of players. Players adjust themselves quickly to the slight differente in appearance and a few minutes practice is usually sufficient to allow the players to make proper adjustments. In order to make easy transition from the rectangular board to the smaller board, the National Committee recommends that where boards of the rectangular size are used, the space which is not to be fowmd on the smaller type board be painted with a dark paint so that the white portion on the large board is the same size and shape as the entire smaller board. This will give the boards somewhat the same ap» pearance and should remove any handicap which might develop through playing on courts equipped with boards of different sizes. All in all, it looks like a great season for the greatest of indoor sports. The game is keeping pace with developments in related ficlds of endeavor. Progressive athletic departments are making plans to bring their equipment up to date, our Steel e up % like or the les to strai ket, shoo Director of Physical Education and Reoreation putting wwell at i for 20 betas liow kets the in hi Sincerely yours, Varsity Basketball Coach Good lucks Dear Louiss up and, weekend after vory are or near bun bas learn to FeArlg IOWA STATE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS AMES, IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION October 19, 1940 FOR MEN Dr. Forrest C. Allen Basketball Coach University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas Dear Doe: We too have ordered the Medart steel back boards, so as far as I know, we should be uniform all around the Conference. Ours haven't shown up, but I hope when they do everything will proxve satisfactory. With best wishes to you and the other Allens, I am Sincerely yours, a. a ouis Menze Basketball Coach IM:EC October 25, 1940 Mrs Horace Mason Sports Publicity Mrector Yansan Office University of Kansas Dear Horace: i have rather a distinct recollection of asking you to see if it was not possible to got the rather anemiceloocking cut of myself, that appears amually in the Jayhawk Register, and substitute it for one that looked like a real live mane I thought you said that you had done this. ‘This wis last year, you knows . i Seturday I saw that same sickly smile protrayed on the features of the basketball coach in the Jayhnwi: Registers Ses I would like to know what happened, if you can explain it to me- : Sincerely yours, Director of cal Sdusation and Recreation Varsity Coach