NATIONAL COLLEGIATE A. A. -

NATIONAL FEDERATION H. S. A. A. - Y. M. C, A. - C'ANADIAN I. A. U. and A. B. A.

NATIONAL BASKETBALL COMMITTEE
of the UNITED STATES and CANADA

CHAIRMEN OF SUB-COMMITTEES

Executive

H. H. Satmon, Jr.

Research
Forrest C. ALLEN

Complete List of
Committee Members

F.C. Allen
Univ. of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

John Brown, Jr.
347 Madison Ave.
New York, New York

John Bunn
Stanford Univ.
Palo Alto, California

Forrest Cox _
Colorado University
Boulder, Colorado

J. H. Crocker

Univ. of Western Ontario

London, Ont., Canada
M. C. Cunningham

High School

Desloge, Missouri

Sumner A. Dole

Connecticut State College

Storrs, Connecticut

J. Mark Good
Sun-Gazette Co.

Williamsport, Pennsylvania

E. J. Hickox
Springfield College

Springfield, Massachusetts

A. F. Jefferess
114 Carrick Ave.
Hamilton, Ont., Canada

Frank P. Maguire

Dept. of Public Instruction
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

H. G. Olsen
Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio

Curtis Parker |
Centennary College
Shreveport, Louisiana

H. V. Porter
11 S. LaSalle St.
Chicago, Illinois

Floyd A. Rowe
Board of Education
Cleveland, Ohio

J. W. St. Clair

Southern Methodist Univ.

Dallas, Texas

H. H. Salmon, Jr.
40 Wall St.
New York, New York

Oswald Tower
Andover, Massachusetts

Publication
Oswatp Tower

Questionnaire
H. V. Porter

Game Administration
Sumner A. Dote

Vice Cuairman, JOHN BUNN
Stanford Univ., Palo Alto, Calif.

Treasurer, FLOYD A. ROWE
Board of Education, Cleveland, Ohio

Evitrorn, OSWALD TOWER
Andover, Massachusetts

Cuairman, H. H. SALMON, Jr.
40 Wall St., New York, N. Y.

Secretary, H. V. PORTER
11 S. LaSalle St., Chicago, Illinois

January 11, 1940

Mr. F, c, Allen
Univ. of Kansas
lewrence, Kansas

Dear Mr. Allen:

I ave your letter relative to research work on the ekven-foot basket. I
would be willing to encourage sane experimentation along this line but,
frankly, our men have looked upon this as primarily a college problem I
have never peen able to work up very much enthusiasm for raising the baskets
for high school play, although I think most of our men are of the opinion
that there is merit in the suggestion for college players. Up to the age

of nineteen or twenty, where high school eligibility ends, there are not a
great many unduly tall players or, if they do exist, their muscles are not
coordinated to the extent where they become great scoring threats. It is
exceedingly rare to find a six foot five high school boy who is also

well enough coordinated to make a defense against him an impossible problem.
I may be able to stir up enough interest at me or more of the schools to
persuade them to collect actual data on this matter, but I am not sure I

can do ite :

With respect to other research problems, I will say that we have been con-
centrating on the problems which I.mentimed in a former letter, i.e.

1. The problem of the effect on the game through use of the modified backboard
as outlined in the back of the rule book.
2 The proper bouncing reaction of a ball.

8. The advantages end disadvantages of eliminating more of the jumps which

follow held ball.

In my opinion, the most valuable work . the Research Committee could do at
this time would be to stress experimentation with the backboard of modified
size end shape. I note that you mention this in your form letter to members
of the committee. As far as Iam concerned, I am attempting to maintain

an open mind in connection with the convex backboard. I am not yet ready
to commit myself as either favoring or disapproving the change. I do feel
that even if the cmvex type of board should prove to be of enough ad-
vantage to warrant the change, it is very doubtful whether it would be wise
for the committee to consider such a change this year. In my opinicn, the
adoptim of such a board would practically force every school in thecountry
to make a change, not only in their backboard but in the bridgework which