Mr. Lloyd Blomstrom, P
288 - Winner, So. Dakotas

Dear Mr. Blomstrom: .

... .Your letter has been referred to me for reply... I notice that.
you are preparing a speech for your local Rotary Club, and since I am. .
president-elect of the Lewrence Rotary Club I will be happy to comply
with your request. :

The men at the University of Kensas who were plrysically handi-
capped were Tommy Johnson, Kansas greatest all-round athlete, Everett
Bradley, who was an Olympic track athlete, and Glem Cummingham. So.
muoh has been written about Glem. that doubtless you would be more .
interested in him. then any_of the_others. However, I will_tell you. about
Tommy Jolmson and Bverett Bradley.

Everett Bradley was a very weak and sick boy and was bothered with
chorea (St. Vitus’ dence) as a youngster. Mis physicians ordered him to
stay out of school, which he did for five years. They told him +] play,
to climb trees and to conduct all of his activities in the great out-of-
1 ss 3 r : ‘

During the three years that Everstt Bradley was in school he
17 2/8 points in every meet thet he was in. These were the
Drake Relays, Relays, and the Penn Relays, as well as all
track meets and the Big Six indoor end outdoor meet. He won the
tathlon in Pennsylvania in 1921 and he was on the Olympic track team
in 1924 and was one of Uncle Sam's outstanding performers.

Everett Bradloy had said many times that if it were not for ath-
letics he would have never established his health nor would he have
accomplished the things in business life thet he hed. He is a commercial
geologist at Wichita, Kansas, and one of the outstanding men in the field.
As a point winner here he has had no peer. He was a
jumper, « pole vaulter, a sprinter, a 440~yard man, a
hurdler, and he would win first place in many of °
meet.

Tomay Johnson was a sick boy eat twelve years of age.
tubereoulosis of the kidney. The doctors advised
which he did for a period of three or four years, but he went down to old
MeCook Field where the Kansas gridiron heroes practice, and like Hawthorne's
Great Stone Face, these men served as an ideal - as an aim for hi
accomplish something great.
gridiron gladiators. He trained, he practiced all the time with an innate
hope that some day he would be a football player at Kansas. i

 
I was a freshman with Tommy Jolmson in 1905. He was six and a
half feet tall and weighed 152 pounds, still frail and slender, but he
had an uncanny weave and hip shift that he had practiced through all
these years that made it very difficult for an opponent to tackle him.
He was one of the outstanding basketball players, a great catcher on
he varsity baseball team, and a hurdler and pole vaulter on the track

Against Nebraska in football in 1906 Tommy Johnson received the
ball from the snapper-back and ran 90 yards through a broken field for
a touchdown. Fred Cornell, the referee, ruled that the backfield was
in motion and penalized the Kansas team five yards. On the next play
Tommy Jolmson called the same signal and ran 95 yards on the same
identical play, wormed, twisted and squirmed his way through for a
touchdown over the sane terrain. ae ees

In 1909 in old Exposition Park Tomy Johnson was "high-lowed” by
two Missouri tacklers, Buck and Prancis Alexander, end an
old injury to his spine was opened up and two years from that day, on
Thanksgiving Day, Tommy Jolmson died at Bell Memorial Hospital in ;
Kansas City, Mo. Never a whimper did he mike. Rather, when he met his
friends who visited him, he never complained. He said, "T have lived
more in my 22 years than mat fellows have lived in 70. I have no cam-
plaints and if I had to do it over again I would want to do it the same
way. Life has been swoll to'me and I think the world is great.”

As I said, I played with Tommy Johnson for several years end ~
later became his coach in basketball here et the University of Kansas.
He was always cheerful, exuding « let of enthusiasm and plenty of fight,
but he was clean, hard and courageous. He had no time for bickering
or little things, but he gave everything that he had. No wonder, when
he passed away, he was em immortal in the eyes of the Kensas alumi.

When I returned to Kansas in 1919 as director of atthetics there
was but one motive in my mind end that was to build a stadium in the
memory of Tommy Johnson, Kansas greatest athlete, but the World War
had just finished and there were 129 Kansas men and women who made the
supreme sacrifice in the first world war end naturally the stadium was
given the nawe of the World Wer Memorial in the name of these heroes
and heroines. But if I had it to do of my own experiences and relation-
ships, had not the war happened, there would have been only one name
on that stadium, and that would have been “Tomy Johnson Memorial
Stadium". He deserved such an honor.

Mr. C. B. McBride, the sports editor of the Kansas City Star,
pays Glenn Cumingham a great tribute, featuring his searred legs which
have borne Glem Cumingham, the great Kansas rumer, to new records and
victory. When Glenn was 8 years old he and his older brother had as
their chore the job of lighting the fire in the schoolhouse. One cold
winter morning an explosion occurred, and before the brothers could be
rescued from the burning building they were terribly burned. The older
brother died, and Glenn fought his way back to life after six months of
_ guffering. Glenn Cunningham bears these sears on his legs today. His
legs are marked by the ravages of flames from the hips down, the right
leg being more scarred than the left.

 
e

Director of Physical Education,
Varsity Basketball Coach.

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and with kindest regards to all of your good Rotarians at Winner,

South Dakota, I am

 
THE TEXAS COMPANY

Winner,S. D
June, #4, 1943

University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas,

Att. Athletic Department
Dear Sir: |

I am preparing a speech for our local Rotary club about outétandi m
athletes who have been handicapped and who have come through as
champions even in the face of such conditions, As I recall,Glenn

Cu mingham your great mile runner of some years back suffered from
severe burns in his boyhood and that at ome time it was believed that
he might never walk. In the event that you have any available inform-
ation at the University concerning the handicaps of this athlete I
will appreciate having you forward them to me in the self addredsed
envelop attached, Thanking you most sincerily for your cooperation

I am,

ogee _very truly,

tlt Oa,
December 5, 1942.

Mr. W. Roy Breg,

Executive Secretary,

Allied Youth,

National Education Association Bldg.,
Washington, De C.

Dear Mre Breg:

I am enclosing herewith Dr. Allen's statement in
 Yeply to your letter of November Sth asking for a
statement in regard to the use of alcohol. Dr. Alla@m
is out of town at the present time, but before he left
he dictated this statement. If you desire his om
personal signature, please let us know. I am sure he

oii bs va leec 4 vee.
Sincerely yours,

Secretary to Dr. Forrest C. Allen.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES

HOMER P. RAINEY, CHAIRMAN
W. ROY BREG

J. ROSCOE DRUMMOND
FRANK E. GANNETT
ERNEST STACEY GRIFFITH
SPENCER MILLER, JR.
JOHN R. MOTT

DANIEL A. POLING
CARROLL R. REED
RUSSELL E. SINGER

MRS. JOHN L. WHITEHURST
RAY LYMAN WILBUR

 

ADVISORY MEMBERS

MRS. SAIDIE ORR DUNBAR
EDWIN HOLT HUGHES

 

A. J. STODDARD
MRS. HENRY ALVAH STRONG

NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION BLDG,
WASHINGTON, D.C.

November 5, 1942

ERNEST R. BRYAN
TREASURER

W. ROY BREG
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Coach ve Cy Allen
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

Dear Coach Allen;

Because young people have told us that they
are interested in what coaches have to say about
alcohol, we have been gathering our own collection
of statements from athletic coaches and directors.
Last. year we made a survey of football coaches and
received splendid statements, some of which are
included on the enclosed sheet.

Now we are anxious to feature the statements
of outstanding basketball coaches and hope to have
your cooperation. Will you tell us how you feel
regarding the matter of youthful drinking in relation
to athletic development and to a young person's acti-
vities in life? This will be circulated in a dignified
and helpful way to guide the thinking of young people.

Allied Youth is a program in alcohol education
and alcohol-free recreation. It is commended by many
outstanding educators, athletes, and other citizens,
It is an approach that wins the enthusiastic response
of young people,

Thank you very much for your consideration. We
shall look forward to hearing from you in the near future,
within the next two weeks, if possible.

Yours sincerely,

W. Roy Breg
Executive Secretary

  

 

 
 

f It is my opinion that any boy who takes so little pride
in his performance or has so little ambition to excel and to
make the most of his Qualifications as a player as to indulge
in alcoholic beverages would not be likely to prove dependable
during the rigors of a tough season or in the critical situations
which we expect to arise regularly upon the field," -- Carl Snavely

" There is no place in championship athletics for liquor.
Our boys show also by their conduct and attitude after the play-
ing season that they know championships and liquor do not mix," -—
Homer Norton

" Any young man who isn't smart enough to take care of his
own body and, at the same time, made of such qualities that he is
willing to sacrifice for the welfare of the entire organization,
is not considered the type of young man whom we want," -- Paul E,
Brown

"Of course alcoholic beverages play no part in an athletels
program, and I sincerely hope that every boy will pick his om
sport and pay the price necessary to be a champion," — George Munger

" From an athletic standpoint, indulgence in alcohol is a pos-
itive step toward disintegration. No boy has so much strength that
he can afford to dissipate any of it away. Certainly if a boy
does not possess enough pride in his own well-being to keep himself -
in top condition, then he is too unreliable to compete against
those who do." —- Ossie Solem

"Te use of alcohol at any time by these boys defeats their
purpose not only on the athletic field but outside as well, Natur-
ally we are very much against it, Every boy 'down inside! has pride
enough to stay away from alcohol in any form," -- L, B, Allison

"The attitude toward drinking may have changed in the past
generation; however, alcohol itself has not changed. It still
remains the same chemical compound that it has always been. And
when we do not permit teams in training to use alcoholic beverages,
I believe abstinence is just as vital for men who are not in train-
ing and who are not in such splendid condition physically to combat
the effects of alcohol," -——- Andy Kerr

Fee Aa Ras Se ee Rg RS ame lation ELA
 
F. C. BANNON

ATTORNEY AT LAW
MANUFACTURERS BANK BUILDING

LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS

September 11, 1942

Dr. Fe Ce Allen
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

Dear Phog:

Thanks a lot for your nice letter of
yesterday. Jim and I are delighted that Harl has put
our tickets for the football season with the Allen clan.
With the tire situation as it is we very likely will have
to be together in order to keep warm, there being nobody
else left to come to the gamese

Bnclosed is a check which I wish you
would give Harl and wish also that you would ask him to
send tickets heree

With very best regards to everybody

and looking forward to seeing you and whatever else of
the Allen outfit is around, I am

Sincerely yours,

a

F.|C. Bannon

 

FCB/MM
Octeber 5, 1942.

ies Mildred Beecher,
Newton, Kansas.
‘Dear Mise Beecher:

I have talked with Mr. Shenk and with Dr. Turney regard
ing the completion ef your swmer enrollment. Dr.
has suggested that you should write him direet abeut
status of your work with him. :

Mr. Shenk end ELA Wo poeta whiting & ania yes
final examinations in eur courses, in care of Ge

dining yas 1 one Gethin ¥s patina va%n ym, I em

Diyecter of ented: Education,
Varsity Basketball Coach.

 
 

 
Oetober 5, 1942.

‘Mr. Dan Belen,
Public Utility Building,
Salina, K ansase

Dear Tan:

I beg your pardon fer the deley in answering you. kind
letter of the 18th ultime, but I have been swamped with
the begiminr: of our conditioning program here at the Univ-
ersity this fell. |

I em sending you some of the printed material we have
regarding our conditioning program, and also a sketch of
the obstacle course. We have one ebstacie course seuth
of the gymnasium and another near the stadium.

We are using as a guide the Basie Field Menual of the
War Department, FM 21-20, which may be ebtained from the
Superintendent ef Decuments at Washington, D. ©., fer S07

& copy.

If you have any specific questions concerning ou
program I shall be happy to hear from you.

®

Cordially yours,

Direetor of Physical Education,
Varsity Basketball Coach.

 
©. G, COLWELL, PRESIDENT fe —_, HENRY OTTO, VICE PRESIDENT
L. B. BURT, VICE PRESIDENT A oN oe MARIE SHEAFOR LAKE, SECRETARY-TREASURER
W. H. ROBBINS, VICE PRESIDENT Le = fo ew WM. HURXTHAL MILLER, ASST. SECRETARY

   
  

REFERRED FIRE
mn iSURANCE COMPANY
| TOPEKA, K KANSAS | aia

THE i

SPRADLEY-BOLEN AGENCY l i
Public Utility Building — ie
Salina, Kansas ig

September 18, 1942

Dr. Forrest (Pog) Allen,
Kansas State University,
Lawrence, Kansas.

Dear PHRog:

A short time ago I received a letter from Virgil Baer,
the athletic coach of Dickinson County High School at Chapman,
Kansas, in which he asked me to speak at a physical education
meeting to be held in Salina, Kansas, during the coming Teachers!
Convention. The subject that he assigned was "What I Consider a
Good Physical Education Program."

I can't figure out why he picked on me because I have
been removed from any physical program for a long time, except
for the program we have at the local Y.M.C.A. However, I told
Virgil I would do the best I could, and now I am calling on my
experienced friends that I know can help me on this assigned
subject. Any suggestions, pamphlets, books, or anything else you
think might help me in my talk that you have access to and can
send me will certainly be appreciated. I might give you my word
of honor that I would guarantee the safe return of anything you
might send.

It has been quite a while since you have paid Salina a
visit. I think you should try to favor us with your presence
before too long. I hardly think you would recognize our fair city.
I suppose you have heard that the government is putting in a fairly
large air base and cantonment. I imagine within the next month or
six weeks they will be completed. This new influx of people has
really changed the local complexion. I know you are having the
same experience in Lawrence.

If all goes well I am contemplating coming to Lawrence
this fall to see a football game or two.

Thanking you in advance for any assistance you can give
me in helping me with my subject, I am

ourgs’WVvery truly,
DB:Z ae
Mr. Fo Ca Bannon, :
Leavenworth, Kaensase

Dear Tiras

. Berl Palkenstien was just in the office
talking about your football tickets and where you
wanted then placed. He was going to place them
with the Allen clan. Is this agreeable to you?
Or will jou be in the Army by thet time?

With kindest regards to Jim and the firm,
I am

9

_ Sincerely yours,

Director of Physical Education,
Varsity Basketball Coach.

 
University of Kansas

: tle
ty yee = bt ogy et
ae , ee
Cs tlations “fr oa
o ey ag gon "=
cae oe
erpiat- Gott — Drrotintle,
Mr. Laurence Butder,

Principal,

Yallace County Community High School,
Sharon Springs, Kansase —

Dear Mr. Butlers

: Sealine upon receipt of your letter of the
27th inntant I took it to Mr. Earl Palkenstien, financial
secretary of the Athletic Assooiation, and asked him to
reserve two tickets for you for the Iowa State game here —

on Pebruary 6the

These tickets will be held in your name at the
—— ee YS ee If you —
do not oall for them pribr to game time they will be sold.
But Mr. Palkenstien has the tickets for you and he has
made some very excellent reservations.

Sincerely yours,

Director of Physical ‘Bdueation,
Varsity Basketball Coach.

 
SHARON SPRINGS, KANSAS
Z7, 7773

 
January 25, 1943.

lr. Bo Be Black,
Black & Veatch,

4706 Broadway,
Kensas City, Mo.

Dear Mr. Black:

Thenk you so much for your thoughtfulness and
kindness in mailing me a tear sheet from the New York
Enguirer as of Monday, January 18th. You are a real

son of old K.U. = - never overlook a bet to promote
her welfare.

We deeply appreciate your thoughtfulness and loyalty.
With all good wishes, I am

Sincerely yours,

bivertce of Physigal Education,
Varsity Basketball Coach.

 
 
November 18, 1942

Dr. Forrest C. Allen

Dept. of Physical Education
University of Kansas
lawrence, Kansas

Dear Dr. Allen:

Thank you very much for your kind letter
of recommendation. After reading it over, you must
be talking about someone else instead of me. It
made me swell up and almost burst the buttons off
my shirt. I hope that someday I will be able to
repay you for this kindness.

If the gas rationing is forestelled for two

or three more months, and I hope it is, it will

give me an opportunity to get down to Lawrence and
work with Jack some more. The way it looks now, the
Navy deal will probably take a couple of months

before I will hear anything definite on it, but should
I hear sooner than that, you will be one of the first
to know about it, because I want you to be.

Thanks again for all you have done for me.

Sincerely,

 
Miss Mildred Beecher,
301 Harrison,
Newton, Kansase

Dear Mise Beecher: :

I am happy to mail the examination in Community
Recreation to Mrs. Blayleck. I am also sending Mr.
Shenk's test to her at the same time.

I hope that your mother has effected a complete
recovery by this time.

Sincerely yours,

Director of Physical Educetion,
Varsity Basketball Coach.

 
December 11, 1942.

Mrs. Anna Blaylock,

Superintendent of Harvey County Schools,
Newton, Kansas. 3

Dear Mrse Blaylock:

A& the request of Miss Mildred Beecher I am sending
you examinations which she desires to take during the
Christnas vacation.

Director of Physical Education,
Varsity Basketball Coach.

 
 
 

 

ee a ee
7 oe
fo gh gh me a After pot

Say Nenenr

 

 
Miss Mildred Beecher,
$01 Harrison,
Newton, Kansas.

Dear Miss Beecher:

- Most of the questions in the final examination are
practioal problems, covering the work that we went over during
the summer. The questions cover the course pretty comprehen-
sively. They are all common sense questions that a woman of
your ability can work out because you were one of the better
students.

I will be happy to send the questions to lirs. —
whenever you are ready for then. :

Sincerely yours,

Director of Physical Education,
Varsity Basketball Coach.

 
3a) Nanrcenr
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