Monday, February 16, 194 by Jim Need HAROLD Keith, director of sports publicity at Okla- homa University, wrote a _ resume of the Gerald Tucker case in the current issue of the. Sooner alumni magazine. ‘In order to gi the case as we are reprinting parts of Keith’s article: ; Manhattan, Kan, © Jan...2, 1942. BIG SIX ELIGIBILITY COM- MITTEE UNANIMOUSLY RULES GERALD TUCKER IN- ELIGIBLE FOR ATHLETIC PARTICIPATION AT OKLA- HOMA. RULE MADE ON ARTI- CLE ELEVEN. RULING RE- QUESTED BY 4. MEMBER_IN- ~ STITUTION, Di! H. H. KING, “The, aboye telegram, sent to Prof. Waltes Kraft, Oklahoma’s faculty ‘representative, bluntly no- tified Sooner athletic authorities that Gerald Tucker was ineligible for athletics at O oma, for life because * Oklahoma had violated the migrant rule, which is rule eleven in»thé Big Six Conference code. hy “The rence eligibility com- mittee represented to have made the § is composed of Mr.}. _.King,’ the Kansas State faculty |: " ‘representative, W. W. Davis of|: ‘ansas, and H. B. Bergman of| Iowa State. “Mr: Kraft quickly put in long} : distance telephone calls to both|: ‘Mr. King and Mr. Davis and dis-}: _ covered several irregularities con-|: cerning the decisions which he ex- ed to the Oklahoma - Athletic! : : Rearend de Sun-| : ‘day afternoon, J. anuary: 4, Ame; | them were: (1) Oklahoma had not been given a|: hearing by the eligibility committee, nor an opportunity to present its: side of the| - argument on the migrant rule question. | : The wisdom of such a hearing was evi-|: dent at a later meeting before the entire conference when Oklahoma presented new|: eviaence that speedily killed the migrant}: rule charge. : (2) Two of the three members of the conference eligibility committee that pro-| : nounced Tucker ineligible were from what} : turned out to be complaining schools and|: this raised a serious question of propriety. | : (3) Mr. King misrepresented the vote of |: one of the committee members, Mr. Davis]: of Kansas, who told Mr. Kraft that he|: had never voted to disqualify Tucker on|: the basis of the migrant Tule, but because |: -of the residence rule. Mr. Davis repeated | : this at the Kansas City meeting, assert-|: ing that ‘‘Mr. King sppeerntly misunder- | : stood me over long stance telephone.’’ Yet Mr, King’s original telegram had stated that the three-man eligibility com- mittee had unanimously disbarrred Tucker because of the migrant rule. Mr. Davis is one of the three members of the commit- tee, therefore the migrant rule and life disbarrment decision wasn’t unanimous and even appears to.hsve been confused during the hasty long distance telephone poll Mr. King made to ascertain it, yee (4), Mr. Dayvis’s disavowal of having] d voted on the question of the migrant rule raises the question of what ‘‘member in- stitution’? requested the ruling on the mi- grant statute, as Mr. King’s telegram claimed. It wasn’t Kansas and it appar- ently wasn’t Iowa. State, and Nebraska |! and Missouri weren’t polled. Did Mr. King, the chairman of the eligibility committee, take it upon himself to raise the question? (5) No school made any objection to} } Tucker’s eligibility until after the player had participated in five nonconference games in December, averaging 15.4 points per game. This appeared, to Oklahoma, a deliberate attempt to get Tucker just be- fore the Big Six Conference season began early in January. Why wasn’t the player protested before Oklahoma’s first game with Southern Methodist at Norman, De- _eember 132 IN FACE of all this improper procedure Oklahoma protested the decision vehemently and demanded a Benne before the entire conference membership, declaring she would lay Tucker in the opening game against ansas unless am a chance to defend herself, Mr. ing granted the which was scheduled for Kansas City on Monday, January 5, the ine Oklahoma-Kansas basketbali game a Lawrence. ; MEANWHILE, Big Six territory news- papers aired the unusual case) thoroughly. ahoma w both support and ex- coriation from the ress. THE Kansas bity meeting, Mr. Kraft presented an important piece of evidence that quickly killed the migrant athlete charges against Tucker. That portion of the migrant rule that Oklahoma was held to have violated reads: ‘‘It shall be the duty of the authorities of such institution (Oklahoma) to ascertain thru correspond- ence the validity of the reason or reasons for such transfer.’’ In disbarring Tucker for life, the conference eligiblit committee ~~ (with the exception of Mr. Davis of Kansas whose vote was misrepresented) had held Oklahoma did not comply with this section of the rule, . BUT Mr. Kraft showed at Kansas City the copy of a letter he had written to Mr. | King on November 19, 1940, a few days ufter Tucker enrolled at Okleh of- ficially appraising Mr. King for information regarding any irregnege? in the transfer, in accordance wi the conference rule. Before he wrote the letter, Mr. ft had talked to Tucker and learned the player had left Kansas State simply because he didn’t }ike the school. MR. Kraft also presented at Kansas City a reply from Mr. King in which the latter plea ed for time and aE SOREES. the Okla- oma athletic director, who was then Tom d with the Kansas State stor. » migrant ruling. Meanwhile Oklaltoma, changed directors and in the resulting confusion, this was never one. Here iay. Oklahoma’s only vulner- in the migrant charge, atid it was a technical one. Someone in authority at Norman should have followed the matter to its full conclusion, t ; HOWEVER, the fact that Mr. Kraft had promptly asked for the information on the transfer showed Okla ood faith and altho the rule urden of ascertaining this information upon Oklahoma, Oklahoma held it sent the original letter promptly and / x. _ King co-operated as promptly, instead of delaying the matter, there would never pau’ been any controversy over the migrant | . e. ; : ONCE Mr. King Mi of Mr. case, for sincerity, to Mr. Kraft’s the Christmas into man had » before Tucker =, ames. KLAHOMA, pointed out that Tucker had attended school thirteen months in residence at Oklahoma before playing his first bas- he had_ transferred, after seven weeks of the first semester 240 at Kansas State into precisely the same courses at Oklahoma, finishing the Jast cleven weeks of the semester at Nor- man and taking his finals. and obtaining nORTAHOMA Crater that this porti rotes' ortion of the residence fale, written in 1928 when the Big Six was formed, was_ designed oo bi i ee Uiay ers a Big schoo ayin fica the fontbell season, withdrawing trom the university at the football season’s close} and enrolling the following autumn and! playing another season without penaliy,| oa deen been a popular custom in the/| ° i | Altho | Oklahoma accepted this decision, | it wasn’t generally popular over the state | nor on the campus, where it was the gen- | Sorted to evtzeme interprsration of « phrase | i e nterpretation of a phrase | of the residence rule written for an en | Seta Gartesittes” whice. Berl {i ee whic obviously erred on the migrant clause. ef } Harold Keith's letter ‘tog-- * “ ChangellorMalott’ — < Coe Se P sbi Bob Busby. <* sage Parke Carrell - gaye os? Den-Partneb., evT vréve Hikireq pe encore rere > erry ToT PEMOC pe RRR ye poe MT #100, ouis.. ehoy “Veurdee a oe ial 2). (a Chamberlain bg eg p Dine Reetar oar ey) pe ieee ~— peep | 0% hg si te: S890. bees. ong devock eee. ian worth: ‘qipee ‘ebeedin fue \*: ope Pobeywe ayo mee gu ppe tebe Ol, #pe PoAry yokeos ong Ww IGG fNROS Be: gene g jen So: ean er pie phere tan "e ! J Correspondence re ord atfoma situation -- Harold Keith “MWwrke George Powers Julian Ralston An ALAS Dean Puckett Clingenpesl ( Adams ) ft Et al. No ON SiCRET PAY Judge Landis Rules Against | Club Pay to Promising College Athletes Chicago, Mar. 7. (#)—Secret baseball contracts—the kind in which a college baseball player usually gets. financial assistance for promising to join the paying club after graduation, are legally worthless, says Commissioner K. M. . Landis. : Landis made the ruling in a case involving Anthony Ravich and the New York Yankees of the Ameri- can league. ; In a statement accompanying the rule, Landis said all club officials know such pacts have no standing in court but he wondered if the college players knew it. “However, there is and can be no question whatsoever, that these legally worthless documents do serve a purpose—First, of delud- ing many of the players signing them into an erroneous belief that | they are obligated and second, of | establishing a moral obligation to | go thru with the agreement,” Lan- dis’ statement read. The commissioner quoted George | Weiss, vice president of the New| York club and general manager of its farm system, as saying that the /agreement with Ravich was not, certified to the commissioner’s of- fice within 20 days as prescribed | by baseball-law because of the “ef- fect it would have on his college athletic career.” Players, publicly receiving such | financial aid either directly or by their parents, customarily are de- clared ineligible for further college competition as was Lou Boudreau, now manager of the Cleveland In- dians by the University of Illinois in 1988. Landis pointed out that sub-rosa pacts made it impossible for his office to check the number of play- ers controlled: by the clubs and often enabled those clubs to violate the player limit. — The commissioner sai." there had been suggestions that such secret documents as the scout’s agree- ment to pay’ Ravich $1,000 for his promise to sign a Yankee farm contract upon graduation be filed confidentially with his office to enable the student to continue jis collegiate career. ' “Thaat, of course, is inconceiv- able,” Landis added, “As it would | include the entire baseball organi- | zation in the false pretense, in which the player and the club have engaged, that the player is honest- | ly complying with college athletic eligibility rules, which in fact are being deliberately violated. 5 “The obvious impropriety of that. situation is in no wise diminished by the fact that college athletic officials often are fully cognizant of that violation and are partici- pants in them.” _ The commissioner declared that in the future clubs and affiliates which signed undergraduates to secret contracts would be denied the chance to re-sign them after the players had been declared free agents and that in addition the]. clubs and officers involved would be fined. i Dear Chancellor Malott: You doubtless saw that during the game at Norman I walked to the officials’ bench twice during the first half. This was to kindly ask Mr. Harold Keith, the sports publicity directar, who seoms to be the best sportemean at the Univer~ sity of , t© remove the photographer from directly in front of our beach. This photographer constantly shot flashlight bulbs into our faces. He was g : : i : : = e : 5 Fx g ‘ ; 8 Coach Bruce Drake knew the rules both in regard to the practice ball and the photographers, because it was the coaches of ow: conference who made the rules. Bruce Drake was cognizant of both of these infractions of the rule. I thought perhaps you would womler why I was going to the desk, perhaps to protest a decision. When these lights were flashed on in the pleyers' eyes it makes them blind for a few minutes and any player going in to substitute is rendered less efficient than if courteous rules were followed. — Very sincerely yours, ‘Director of Physical Education and Recreation, Varsity Basketball and Baseball Coach. Ree March 6, 1942. ie ' die il iil stile ie 33 Birth a bs, I qi Head te ii B aflhcyiat woe lis a3 a rey seage i i i : i aia crate ii a yiliin ait a Hal : iis ar it se atl i grt ‘Tip ti it , Me "a3; He; Ss sibs HEE 7a 4H i if shy Hl any time if they interfere with the play of the pher with flashlights ghall operate on the arte tf Ee ees Gan Oe eee the second infraction which was even more severe we have e.rzle in the basketball coaches assce- (igh at abet sleet stalvan stag] satechit i if angi i te a if b2as is nae ea 32d piikgace pon i! ill ti ie ie ie sins igh shal ii fi ne i tn 58h: gi'ptss. He “Ht ni Hi ul ii Uh ie ge .t.2 3 % ke i 3 nile apa he lil Hi ile SHIA: ath sh: Th aie BIEL ut He He 7 ahi i: jal uta ul a Has ae | HE si Hes ; itt os i aa) is a HH Ht ah anil! fi HY niall | +k isshit Tal wat a Ly is ii. vit i lt fl ll { bat Hu th i ih ith Li hye H i He - iu ‘ait ta Ht ‘ tik i lt sha ii att 335° aad AE ii i He h A) ik o ih Ye cil et i cH We 4 S1h sts i Hi: oe such change last year at the half and reported to the scorer, who happened to be Gerald Tucker, a freshman. dust about the time the € ed to the referee, “He didn't : him." I said to him, "Young you are to the referee.” | j I only mention such things as this as unpleasant happen- : the basketball administration at Oklahoma not putting mature men in positions of responsibility. When freshe men are played up to such an unusual extent as was Tucker, then it is impossible to have@normal, uodest, gentlemaily individual out of In all such positions of trust here we put faculty repres- entatives and coaches who would not stoop to take advantage of a r visitor. Hoys do not have the equilibrium that men of responsibility have. Conshes on the feeulty would not dare show that type of sports- manship when they were supposed to be fair and impartial administraters, _ Apparently the crime is in getting caught, and then to use propaganda to distort and discolor the true facts of the case. i would much rather have rules that are agreed to = lived up to than heave someone do lip service and violate the fundamental agreements thet were made openly and with full expectation of being carried out as the rules were printed. liow, Harold, 60 muoh for that, and I will forget it since i know that when you know it you will see that there is not a repetition of this thing happening to any of the visitors. But there is one thing regarding. publicity that I haven't seen you print, .and that is the ', @@tperison of the common opponents of the Sooners end the . ° You will remember that DePaul decisively defeated Oklahoma with Tucker in the game in the Chicago Stadium during Christmas vacation, end you are also cognizant of the fact that Kansas defeated the same team in the Chicage Stadium 46 te 26, I believe without exeeption that Kansas has defeated every team in the Big Six Conference, including Oklahoma, by a much wider spread of margin between the offense end defense then has Oklahoma. Tais statement goes for Nebraska, Kansas State and Iowa State, and to~ night we will find out about Missouri. Of course, we may be beaten by Eissouri tonight, and if we are of course Oklahoma will win émé we will congratulate then. But if we defeat Missouri, then instead of talking about scoring more points on Kansas as Oklahoma did, why not bring out the trus ratio between the offense and the defense and say thet although the two teams are tied, Kansas is the superior team be- eause the offensive-defensive ratio is so outstandingly large as to Ee pap. PL ABER TAIT RETIRE TIER SPSS OE PO pe kD ET Eee aeRO NA PNET EH PE ay TASS ER ee Te ee FL ea oa superior Can you points Last year Kansas and Iowa State was considered the would it not be true this year? but Iowa offensive-defensive ratio. superiority. With all good wishes to you, and remembering you always as one of the fairest gentlenen that I have met, I am Sincerely yours, * Director of Physical Edueation and tion, Recrea PCASAH Varsity Basketball and Baseball Coach. € April 15, 1942. i bey all uh Hi ie fl ah i Ed a fies % @ IF lat ii Hi ne yo 4 a Ie oe 8 . v4, f li : it i i it RS oe Wis i ls | ete ] aj a a jit i ha ay ds he i ta | Ha uh ier si yy Hi aah i i ald ah a ao gf #3 a | a ol ii Hi it sik Pa tut : : alaje i : I Alt an d “ee abn cel os Wh ify git tual jit yal at fa ani ith hij if Ee Teal, isi just Huse A ae el aT ane i Ih ye 4 ligt ra fl Hite et 995 fils gi ity sili! in il dak it aif esta a ne fay ip su hh We by ' é iH. : 1s . rid ae a aR th sets ot tame T% is a rather difficult be 47 Y B oi! $s ig i nl pl i fir iia 1 iu Hid! i rie HE ie “28 ee ih Heel] tg: 1 ia at (gcc iil it i ii 3 i ee quills i i i g iH a i ne te i Pallas Hi iit fi f bei ii age aul i igi tn ite fais is Bil ip 4 a in fi i i ie at H uy Ha ae 1S i Hit filet rar ee eS — ne Re ee ge Seaham a eR a rR Um RP PE ot Cm Evan * at rE i 4 * ey tat : SAPO Oe ies atc. ait Here o Se 3 Biharseee eee re Geee sides to & letter I ; Gerald by aap Tid. give hin “oye of the if perhaps is of & ome il. and the faculty re- receive or jobs available Lil} ae L i ss ae, : ing that , odes Ac control . Go not : Me. Nalter ". Kraft, widlities. Or was it i t of univeraity Ua em i OR fal TH dpe “al BI i ii ae or and of the a 8 oa nie Te @ dinner Lon authorities during the at distrossed at | es pee cael same hie I em wondering if ths would ¢ the man in this position cartroliel a great may Se | end the to enclose an of Lty, Phi because MES ee a SS Soa Se Peale a B = Bee . Seat : 3 SNP SR PETIT a I aS Rt . RSS ea e sf aS oS : * si =F Saciee 7 at RNR al TS a a . - s . < i FCA:AT | Varsity Basketbell and Baseball Coach. aes ~ - ; . ‘ s gj . . 2 ‘ ; es eam iii sae calat tongs siassiciiadcen use IR mcmay rape a ee stil : = sciences ores : = aa eae wide oe raigd a ea gi leg chee ees esa: 37 RR ccaaigles 8 face gar et eli a ep Sag calc ~ aS r ; e re 7 + @ SEAR GO ROA sis Fa ar ete ae eR rh SNe i ie E 2 - Ff e. Department of University Utilities Walter W. Kraft Superintendent THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA Norman Oklahoma April 6, 1942 Dr. W. We Davis, Faculty Representative, M.V.I.AsA. University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas Dear Dr. Davis: After the meeting of the Big Six Conference held in Kansas City on -the 27th day of February, you handed me some correspondence which contained some charges of athletic irregularities affecting*the University of Oklahoma Athletic Department. The letters referred to were one, dated February 8th, from an attorney in Wichita, Kansas, and another, dated January 26th, from an _attorney in Wichita. These letters were addressed to Mr. Allen, copies of’ which were given to me. The correspondence also included two letters from F. ©. Allen, one dated February 9th and the other February 10th. You requested that I investi- gate the charges made in this correspondence and advise youe Upon returning to Norman I immediately had a conference with Mr. Haskell, our director of athletics. I requested Mr. Haskell to furnish me a written statement covering these charges. I also called upon Mr. Cross, the business manager of athletics, for a statement as to whether or not any funds of the athletic department had been expended in paying the expenses. of high school boys from Wichita, Kansas. I also talked to Mr. Lester Layton, a student at the University of Oklahoma. 2 ¢ i ‘3 ; : Several days later Mr. Haskell furnished me with a complete statement in which he flatly denied any irregularities, and in which he requested further that I insist that Mr. Allen furnish specific proof rather than rumors and hearsay. It was quite evident to me that it would be necessary that I personally go to Wichita to interview the persons mentioned in the correspondence, or that I send someone there for the purpose of getting first-hand information from those supposedly involved. I preferred, of course, to investigate this myself. Due to the press of business it was impossible for me to leave. I was hoping week after week that I could make the trip. However, finding that I could not go, I enlisted the services of a man in whom I have the utmost confidence, for the purpose of securing for me first-hand information from those mentioned in the correspondence. After several conferences with this man I furnished him the full correspondence and instructed him to interview each person involved and report back the situation as he found ite I have before me the report of this man, > which I will be glad to show you at our next meeting. The following is an excerpt froma letter addtessed "Dear Phog", and dated January 26, 1942: ; oe BEA i pea tease rin = Spee dS a RE ES tg ts moh ale "T have been doing a little snooping around regarding the football situation at North High School. One of my closest friends is Paul Good, who is vice=principal of North High School. I talked with him yesterday in a confidential manner. "He tells me that he personally talked to Doug Brown, who is the out- - standing football player and captain of the team this year, regarding the trip of certain football players to Oklahéma University. Doug Brown told Paul Good that Jap Haskell had been up to Wichita and talked to them about coming down to visit Oklahoma University and that he agreed to pay all expenses of the trip. "I believe they went in a car belonging to one of the boys, but expenses were paid by Oklahoma University. He questioned him particularly regarding whether it was Jap Haskell or his brother who had made the arrangements. He in-= sists Doug told him that Jap Haskell came up. "Paul Good asked him how he happened to go, and his reply was that of the typical high school boy == that is, "Why not, if you could have a good trip with all expenses paid?". Incidentally, another group was taken down to Okla- homa As & Me a few nights ago.e "Peul also informed me that if someone would talk to Mr. Groe, head of the Physical Education Department of Notth High Schoo}, they could find out about the baseball situation insofar as this Wichita boy is concerned. Paul told me that he was a very fine basketball and football player, but that he was not allowed to play anything except baseball and that he thought there was no question but that he was signed up with the Boston Red Sox. "Furthermore, Good assured me that Doug Brown was the type of individual who would not lie for anyone, and if anyone wanted to ask him about the arrange=- ments ®f the trip to Oklahoma, he would tell them the truth about it. "Incidentallyy Mr. Good and Mre Groe are neither K.U. athletes, and neither has any interest at all in K.U. but definitely feel that these boys should go to some school in the State of Kansas, and that Kansas should retain their athletes in the State of Kansas. They have no particular school in mind but merely feel that we should not sit here and let the State of Oklahoma come into our territory and "buy" our outstanding players. Incidentally, someone should talk to this Doug Brown about going to K.U., as no one has shown any interest in him as yet.* "No Signature Given.” Referring to the above letter, the following persons were interviewed: Paul Good, vice principal of North High School, Doug Brown, student at North High School, B, HE, Haskell, resident of Wichita and brother of Jap Haskell, and Ir. Groe, head of the physical education department of North High School. There were four boys who made the trip to Norman, namely Doug Brown, George Ritter, Bill Jamison, and Don Comeauze The trip was made in Don Comeaux's father's car. Of the four high school students mentioned, George Ritter and Doug Brown only were located in Wichita. Upon inquiry it was reported that Don Comeaux is now at the University of Kansas, and that Bill Jamison, together with another ‘iichita boy named Botkins, had enrolled at Oklahoma A. & M. College. mone In addition to the above named persons, Mr. George Powers, Wichita attorney, was interviewed, as well as "Dutch" Scheufler. My investigator's report, as to what each of these men had to say, is as follows: Paul Good, vice-principal of North High School -- Mr. Good daid he knew absolutely nothing when it came to facts. All he knew was just rumor, and what he had read in the Wichita papers. He explained that there were two newspapers in Wichita, and that the sports editors seemed to dislike each other thoroughly. The sports editor of the Beacon was condemning the University of Oklahoma, while the sports editor of the Eagle was condemning the University of Kansas. Mr. Good was of the opinion, and it was also the opinion of others with whom my investigator talked, that the sports editors of these two rival newspapers had selected the athletic reputations of two universities as their battleground. lr. Good further stated that an attorney had called him and asked him what he knew concerning boys going to a ball game at Norman. Mr. Good said he told him (the attorney) that he did not know anything about it other than that he had excused the boys from school for that purpose since their parents had given them permission to go and it was therefore satisfactory with the high school authorities. Mr. Good then gave the names of the four boys who were excused to make the trip, namely Doug Brown, Don Comeaux, Bill Jamison and George Ritter. Doug Brown -= Mr. Brown stated that what expenses were not paid by the boys them= selves were paid by businessmen, perhaps alumi of the University of Oklahoma, residing in Wichita. He said that he went to Norman in a car belonging to Don . Comeaux's father. He further stated that a couple of weeks prior to the game he and some other boys had been invited to lt. B. &, Haskell's home in Wichita, and that all of the boys knew Mr. Haskell, whom they referred to as "Pat". Mr. Brown said that Pat told them that his brother, Jap, was there and that he would like to have them come over and meet him. It was suggested by both Pat and Jap Haskell that the boys come down to the University of Oklahoma sometime and look the school overs Nothing was said then about any definite time or arrangements for a trip to Norman, and it was a surprise to Brown and the other boys as well when Pat Haskell told them that arrangements had been made by a group of alumi living in Wichita to pay their expenses to see a basketball game at Norman. Mr. Brown stated that the expenses of the car, which amounted to $15.00, were all that was received by the boys, and that he and the other boys paid for their om meals and room except- ing the dinner at Norman which they ate with Mr. Luster, Dale Arbuckle, and others. He continued that later on four boys made a trip to Oklahoma A. & Me College, and that a boy named Botkins took the place of Don Comeaux. Be. E. Haskell == My investigator talked to Mr. Haskell for a few moments, and Mre Haskell informed him that he lived close to North High School, that he took a great interest in the athletic affairs of the high school as a fan, and that he knew most of the boys on the teams. He said that it was his idea to have the boys come over and meet his brother, Jap Haskell, and that he raised the money to pay the car expenses of these boys to Norman. Mir, Haskell furnished a cancelled check showing that he had paid D. G. Comeaux $15.00 on January 10, 1942. I have that check in my file. Mr. Groe, athletic director of North High Schoot == Mr. Groe stated that he did not know anything about the reporta and rumors except those which had been in the Wichita papers, and that he had not paid very much attention to them since he was not concerned. He offered to make a statement concerning Lester Layton, which is ~kn that Mr, Layton came to him for advice as to what school he should attend. Ilr. Groe said that Layton was a boy who loved baseball, and that he knew he meant to make a profession of playing it. Ir. Groe advised Layton that he could not recommend any particular school, but that Layton would have to look over a number of colleges, and their records, to determine for himself where he would be most > benefitted. Mr. Groe stated that he mentioned, among other schools, the Univer- sity of Texas and the University of Oklahoma, and that he saw nothing unusual in the fact that Layton had selected the University of Oklahoma since Oklahoma has had a fine record in baseball over a period of years. Mr. Groe also said that the 0.U. alumi group in Wichita was solidly behind their high school team and had taken a great interest in sports, even when they were not winners. He stated that he was personally glad they took an interest in boys who were on the athletic teams. George Ritter, student at North High School == My investigator found that the statements made by Mr. Ritter were practically identical with those made by Doug Brown. It was Ritter's understanding that the expense money was paid to Mr. Haskell and that he in turn wrote a check for the amount, paying it to the owner of the care George Powers, Wichita attorney -=- ly investigator reports on Mr. Powers as follows: "I had a strong feeling that Mr. Powers had written a particular letter to Phog Allen. I explained to him over the telephone who I was and my purpose in being there and asked for an opportunity to talk with him. He told me to come to his office, and he would be glad to talk with me and glad to meet anyone from Oklahoma. He went on to say that he certainly did not have any information that would concern the situation because he knew absolutely nothing about it, and that furthermore he was not even interested in it and had never taken any interest in it because he had other things to do, I went to his office to see him and he told me the same thing, assuring me that he had never had anything to do with the situatione I asked his opinion on several matters and we talked back and forth for some time before I told him that I had a letter with me which I felt sure that he had written. I read the first paragraph of the letter then so that he would recognize if it he had written it. His face turned red. The paragraph I am referring to stated that the letter was of a confidential nature. Mr. Powers said, "Well it doesn't seem to be véry confidential since you have it.” He then admitted that he had written the letter and stated that it gave his views exactly. I could get no further information from him." I wish to call your particular attention to paragraph 7 of the letter dated January 26th, and addressed to "Dear Phog", which said: “Incidentally, someone should talk to this Doug Brown about going to K.U., as no one has shown any interest in him as yet." It seems to me that the thing proposed by your alumnus and attorney in Wichita is exactly what some of the alumi of 0.U. in Wichita have done, and that is to encourage these boys to go to their particular school, The alumus writing this letter to Mr. Allen suggests that someone should talk to Doug Brown. He evidently suggests that Phog Allen do something about it. I am merely calling your attention to this statement to show that it is more or less the natural thing for an alymnus to want to interest a good athlete in his own university, and I feel that it is just as legal for the alumi of 0.U. to do this thing as it is for the alumni of K.U, =5 Referring to the letter addressed to Dr, Allen on February 8, 1942, con- cerning an alleged conversation that your informant had with "Dutch" Scheuffler, in this connection I wish to say that the letter seems so ridiculous that it doesn't merit much comment, However, my investigator interviewed Mr. Scheufler, who stated that he had never given out any such interview as is related in the letter, and vehemently denied making the statements eharged by your informant. It seems strange to me that your informant accuses "Dutch" Scheufler of being a "tramp", and at the same time is willing to accept a statement of condemnation of rumored actions of the University ¢ Oklehoma, based upon statements given him by a man he classes as a “no account". Especially significant is the next to the last paragraph, which says: "T can't prove any of these statements but they look genuine to me and I'm confident Dutch was telling me these things just as they happened. He is one of these fellows who always likes to brag and seem important and have connections with men who are in the places of importance in the athletic world.” Your informant, an attorney of Wichita, is willing to believe statements about the University of Oklahoma and its athletic department, coming from 4 man he immediately accuses as being unreliable and a worthless braggarte Referring to Mr. Allen's letters of February 9 and 10, 1942, we find that Mr. Allen refers to the Burton Cossey case which in no way concerns the University of Kansas. I made a complete statement of this case at the Big Six Conference meeting held late in February. The athletic authorities of Oklahoma A. & lM. College and the University of Oklahoma investigated this entire matter and are in complete agreement on the case. 1 wish to state for your information, however, that no person on the athletic staff of the University of Oklahome. in any way urged, induced, or otherwise tried to influence lir. Cossey to return to the University of Oklahoma. In his letter, Mr. Allen makes the following statement concerning two letters which he received from certain attorneys in Wichita: "It takes the inform- ation that the two lawyers have to make the case against Haskell a perfect one". Statements mde in the two letters are based on hearsay and rumor, and in a court of lew such evidence is not even admissable. Furthermore I had every charge in- vestigated, with the results as reported above. The case against Mr. Haskell doesn't contain any of the elements of a case, much less a perfect cns@e Mr, Allen refers to the Layton case in his letter, and I wish to state that I have before me a photostatic copy of an affidavit, signed by Lester Layton and by both his father and mother, denying the existence of a professional baseball contract between Lester Layton and any baseball clube I want to state that it will require some other proof other than the un- supported statements of Mir, Allen or the statements from his attorney friends, who base their information on hearsay and rumors, to make the University of Oklahoma authorities believe that the parents of Lester Layton have sworn falsely. Mr. Allen further states that he believes that secret or sub-rosa agrangements exist between Leyton and the Boston Reds, which he terms a "gentleman's agreement", It seems to me that before any further cognizance should be given statements by Mr. Allen, he should be required by the University of Kansas authorities to furnish concrete evidence or to cease his child's play. -6= For Mr, Allen's information, Buster Mills, after graduating from the University of Oklahoma, played with Cleveland and not with the Boston Red Soxe Mr. Allen refers to Mr. Noble, of the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma, as the president of the Board and the chief athletic getter. I cannot help but feel some resentment in Mr. Allen's statement, since it contains no element of the truth. Mr. Noble is not president of the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma, and so far as I kmow, and I feel that I should know more about it than Mr. Allen, he has not interested himself in securing athletes for the University of Oklahoma, Mr. Noble is a very busy man, and although he is interested in all phases of University administration, he has made no attempt to run the affairs of the athletic department. I realize that in these times it is exceedingly hard to keep irregularities from creeping into college athletics. Although the University of Oklahoma may not be sprouting wings, I do not believe that the University of Kansas is entirely free of suspicion. Mr. Haskell submitted to me a list of prominent Oklahoma athletes, who made a fine athletic record at the University of Kansas. In that list were such athletes as Standifer and Earnest Bradley of Cherokee, Ad Lindsey of Kingfisher, the two Johnson brothers, great basketball players, from Oklehoma City, Te ©. Bishop and T. P, Hunter of Oklahoma City, Tom Poor of McAlester, and Ormand Beach of Pawhuska. These are just a few of the many athletes who have gone to the University of Kansas from Oklahoma. In many instances alumni and friends of the University of Oklahoma have been very suspicious about these boys leaving under the very shadow of the University of Oklahoma to go to Kansas University. We have taken the position that if a student prefers to go to Kansas University or any other university rather than to come to the University of Oklahoma, it is his privilege to do so and we bid him Godé speed and hope that he makes a success. On the other hend, we certainly are not going to turn down a promising athlete because he happens to come from Kansas. You must also remember that we have a great many graduates of the University of Oklahoma living in southern Kansas, and many of these graduates are loyal to their alma mter, and it is not surprising that some of them interest high school students in coming here. I resent the statement made by lr. George Powers of Wichita when inter-= viewed by my investigator. He stated, after first denying that he had anything to do with the charges, that the University of Oklahoma had sent the investigator there merely for the purpose of whitewashing the whole situation. I want to re= peat that I sent the investigator to Wichita to find out and report to me the true situation. I had given him no instructions other than to find the truth. The situation, as I have related it, is the situation as he found it. In the light of all information now in my hands, I feel that I am ina position to arrive at reasonable conclusions concerning this situation. ly con- clusions are as follows: 1. No funds of the athletic department of the University of Oklahoma were used to defray the expense of bringing these boys to Norman. 2e The funds used to provide transportation from Wichita to Norman for four boys were provided by businessmen residing in Wichita, presumably alumni or friends of the University of Oklahoma, ote - 3. Lester Layton has furnished definite proof that he is not under contract with any professional baseball clube 4, "Dutch" Scheufler has no official connection with the University of Oklahoma or its athletic department. I fon't feel that it is my privilege or duty to advise Mr. Haskell whom he shall select as his associates or summer co-workers, and I certainly have a firm conviction that it doesn't concern ir. Allen one iota. 5. Mr. Scheufler had nothing to do with the four boys'visiting in Norman, and certainly didn't bring them to Norman. 6. ‘The rivalry existing between two Wichita newspapers, and the bitter feeling between the sports writers on these papers, was responsible for the unfavorable publicity given the two univer= sities and was responsible in a large measure for the information given Mr. Allen by his attorney friends in Wichita, 7. Mr. George Powers, an attorney of Wichita, wrote the letter dated January 26, 1942. When interviewed he first denied knowledge, and when faced with a quotation from his letter he admitted writing the letter and then stated that those were still his views. When faced with statements of those whom he had presumably quoted, he admitted that his information was hearsay and rumor. I feel that this was just a case of an overjealous alumni desirous of supporte ing his friend, Mr. Allen. - 8. The letter written by another Wichita attorney, dated February 8, 1942, deals with “Dutch” ScHeufler and Jap Haskell's brother. As stated above, this letter is so devoid of facts that it doesn't merit much consideration. The attorney states in his letter that he can't prove any of his statements. Under these circumstances no further time could be wasted on the letter. 9. I want to be charitable to Mr. Allen, and therefore just wish to say that he apparently has been overeager to punish and otherwise discreditJap Haskell. The occasion of the newspaper fight in “ichita only furnished Mr. Allen a little more ammunition. I want you to know that I appreciate your kind consideration in submitting this information to me, and I realize that it was necessary for me to be very thorough in making this investigation. I personally have no thought of producing an operation known as whitewashing. Our people here at the University of Oklahoma are human, and being so are subject to human errors. At times, due possibly to not knowing what should be done, they make errors. We have the very highest regard for the University of Kansas, for you personally, and for your athletic staff. I know that you have often expressed | the hope that our relations might glways remain relations of complete confidence in each other, and of respect for the institutions of the Big Sixe I am personally appreciative of your counsel and friendship. I hope that in the future we may always continue to be perfectly frank, and yet friendly. ‘ With kindest personal regards, I em Very truly yours, (Signed) WALTER W. KRAFT Faculty Representative, M.V.I.A.A. WWKsad University of Oklahomac Yerch 9, 1942. Governor Payne H. Ratner, Topeka, Kansas. Dear Governor Ratner: You doubtless saw that during the game at Norman I walked to the officials’ bench twice during the firat half. This was to kindly ask Mr. Harold Keith, the sporta publicity director, who seems to be the best sportsmen at the University of Okla- — homa, to remove the photographer from directly in front of ou bench. This photographer constently shot fhashlight tulbe in our faces. He was not photographing the players on the court, but rather trying to catch us in some pose that he had his own ideas about. This was in direct violation of the coaches’ agreement and preferring not to go to Coach Drake to ask anything of this nature I went to the publicity men. Being wsuccessful in my first two attempts during the first half, I took time out of the fow minutes in between halves in my dressing room which should have been given to the boys, and wrote a letter to Harold Keith telling him that this was in direct violation of -the coaches’ agreement. I told him that the photographer wes insolent end discourteous, and asked in the name of ship and fairness that he be removed from directly in front of our bench. This was dome. Coach Bruce Drake kmew the rules both in regard to the prac- tice ball and the photographers, because it was the coaches of our conference who made the rules. Bruce Drake was cognizant of both of these infractions of the rule. I thought perhaps you would wonder why I was going to the desk, perhaps to protest a decision. When these lights were flashed on in the players' eyes it makes them blind for a few es efficient than if courteous rules were followed. Very sincerely yours, T Director of Physical Bducation end Recreation, FCA:AH Yersity Basketball and Baseball Coach.