Bingham Not Eager for New Coach

In the spring an athletic director's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of new basketball coaches. But very lightly.

William J. Bingham '16 is in no rush to hire someone to replace Bill Barclay, who was notified just before vacation that his contract will not be renewed when it expires early in July. "The season doesn't start until next winter," Bingham points out. "I'm in no rush to pick a new coach now."

Bingham's statement came in answer to the New York Herald Tribune reports that Howard (Jake) Cann, New York University coach, was "interested" in the Harvard job. Cann, after 26 years of coaching at NYU, is "dissatisfied with year-to-year contracts." He indicated that he was chiefly interested in getting a contract covering a longer period.

However, Cann is "not negotiating with Harvard--any more than I am with any other school." The Violet mentor is emphatic in stating that his relations with NYU officials and friendly and that his chief cause of dissatisfaction is the short contracts.

Bingham has not spoken to Cann and regards the Tribune story as so much speculation. Cann himself makes it clear that he has not been approached with any offffeffrff from Harvard and has not been in communication with any athletic officials from the College. He has said that any proposition, "even if it came from Hong Kong," would interest him, whether or not be considered it seriously.

Cann's NYU fives have always ranked among the nation's best. He himself was a three-letterman there and represented the United States as a shot-putter in the 1930 Olympics.

A more distant prospect is Ozzie Cowles, father-in-law of Ben McCabe, jayvee football coach. Cowles had a brilliant team at Dartmouth and moved from there to Michigan, where he produced a Big Ten Champion quintet. Now at Minnesota, he had a great season there last year.

The fact that Cowles has been mentioned for the job is sheer rumor, however. The Athletic Committee must convene before a coach is named and it will probably give the job to a younger man who has made a name for himself either as a player or as coach of a small college squad.