COPY

NEW YORK HERALD TRIBUNE

Sperts Department
February 27, 1939

Dre Fe Ce Allen,
Kansas University,
Lawrence, Kensase

Dear Phogs

This is my annual letter. If you only lmew how rarely © newspaperman writes letters
you'd be flattered. But skip that. I really am writing this because I want to do
80¢ This is the time of year when I begin to run in circles trying to arrange the
Metropolitan Basketball Writers Tournsment. Before I begin rotating too rapidly

I want to talk tournament to yous

At the risk of putting the jinx on your team, it looks to me as though they were about
to win the hottest Big Six race in years. In that event, would Kansas consider an
invitation to the writers' tournament on March 20<22?7 I don't mow whether’ the Big
Six is definitely committed to the N.C.A.A. tournament. If so, we do not wish to do
cages SS ee oe tae a But if Kensas wins the Big Six and. is free
to accept invitations on its ow reponsibility, we would be interested in having the
winks ww uo | |

I know that conference permission will have to be obtained, but since Oklahoma got
permission for the Orange Bowl football game I don't see how any objections ean be
raised to your availing yourselves of an opportunity to do something for Big Six
basketball end Kansas University. I don't know whether you realize it or not, but
the Big Six is virtually the only major conference or basketball district in the
country Vat never has been represented on « New York courts I think that this state
of affairs should be remediede

I am cognizant of the fact that early in the season your team had its troubles, but
it seems to have found itself la « And I am told, too, that this boy Ralph Miller
is a worthy successor to the fine rs you have developed in recent years.

While I am at it, I am going to impose upon your good nature to ask about other teams
out your waye How does Oklahoma Ae & Me compare with its 1957-38 team? What sort of
a record does Warrensburg State Teachers of Missouri have and is it a club that could
stand up in major competition? This my be out of your range of vision and inform-

ation, but do you know anything about Texas University in the Southwestern Conference?

You have plenty of troubles to keep you busy these days, I know, but I would appreciate
it deeply, —— if you could scribble off a reply at your earliest convenience. You
can appreciate how important the time element is in this tournament set~up. We are
to run another high-class tournament without interfering with the N.CeAsds pro-
ject. Ours will be so compact that it will require a minimm of time away from classes,
it will guarantee full expenses to participating teams and give them an opportunity to
share in the net profits. If you went any first hand information on the way we do
things, i saree yeu Se Maik Ite at Ckiahew Aciils ond Ae Jo Rebortom of Beadiay end

your obd pupil, Frosty Cox of Coloradoe
All the best of luck to you, Phog, and I hope to see you at the eonshes’ mesting if

not beforee Sincerely,
Ev Morris