Hugo Wedell Letter

May 4, 1970

My Dear Bill:

I deem it a distinct honor to be recognized by our mutual friend, Fran Welch, as being one of your great hosts of loyal friends.

Bill, it is over 60 years since our acquaintance began while you were coaching at the Marion High School and I was participating in athletics in the neighboring High School at Hillsboro, in 1909. Happily, that acquaintance grew into an enduring friendship while, as a student at the old Emporia State Normal from 1909 to 1912 inclusive, I competed against your C of E teams in basketball and baseball, including the baseball conference championship game in 1912. That friendship grew through the years while you did such a masterful job as coach of the K U football team. I rooted for you as much as for the team.

Thereafter our contacts regrettably became less frequent but my admiration for you never ceased.

It was with genuine pleasure that as a charter member of the Board of Directors of the Kansas All-Sports Hall of Fame I had the pleasure of voting for you as being among the first outstanding athletes and coaches to be elected to that distinguished group. Your marvelous contributions to athletics and other numerous worthy causes have continued to this day. I most genuinely rejoice with you in the richly deserved honor to be bestowed on you at the old Emporia School on May 28.

From one whose admiration for you was born in competition and has ripened into an abiding friendship.

Most sincerely,

HUGO T. WEDELL

Note: McIntyre is the farmer mentioned in the audio recording of Bill Hargiss talking about his summer of 1908, where he meets McIntyre in the train station in Denver and is recruited to work in McIntyre's fields near Larned, KS.

June 17, 1970

Mr. Bill Hargiss
2503 Missouri Street
Lawrence, Kansas 66044

My Dear Bill:

I hope you won't be disappointed in what I have done. The football I received at your Emporia meeting I have given to a loyal friend of yours from western Kansas, Leward McIntyre, in whose home you lived during the harvest period long before your coaching career began. He was so sorry he couldn't come to your meeting at Emporia. He told me his parents said you were the finest young man they had ever met. I just couldn't resist giving him the football. I have so many wonderful memories of you anyway and he was simply overjoyed with having the football.

Bill, it was such a joy to be with you on the occasion of the highly deserved recognition you received at Emporia and to see you looking so well and performing so admirably. I was genuinely proud of you.

With warmest regards and with genuine good wishes as always,

Most cordially,

HUGO T. WEDELL