Lawrence Ely Letter

May 18, 1970

Dear Bill,

Greetings from The Air Crossroads at the Top of the World.

My old Jayhawk friend, Lee Benton of Portland Oregon, advises me that Fran Welch and Dana Durand are arranging a testimonial dinner in your honor sometime later this month. I wish to be among those who will offer you their congratulations and best wishes on this occasion.

The days of Bill Hargiss, Jim Bache, Glenn Cunningham and others will always be memorable ones to me and to all other Cornhuskers who were privileged to know and work with you as I did. I'm told that you are now past eighty years old. Although you took a slight lead on me in age, I am catching up with you real fast. Please send me your formula for longevity and tell me how many strokes on a side you will give me the next time that I come to the Sunflower state to play golf.

Two or three years ago Governor "Knobby" from Nebraska was here and spoke at our Chamber of Commerce luncheon and left $10.00 with me to place a bet with our then Governor Wally Hickol, taking Nebraska over the Jayhawkers in a football contest to be played in Lawrence. It took a Centennial year in Nebraska, 1967 to be exact, for the Jayhawkers to win its first game over Nebraska. Perhaps I have cheated on a game or two but my memory isn't as good on the bad Cornhusker years.

Please give my best to Fran Welch and to Dana Durand and to any of the others who remember Grand Island, Nebraska, the "Home of Friendly Credit".

Cordially yours,

Lawrence Ely
U of N Varsity 1930-1912