The Long Walk

Come July first, Harvard will have a new athletic director. Tom Bolles, coach of winning Crimson crews for fourteen extremely successful years will take the long walk up to the office on Quincy street.

There cannot be any doubt that the governing boards have called on a good man. Bolles' strong and agreeable personality, his talent and his love for Harvard make it certain that he will do the University credit in his new post. He carries with him the highest regard and best wishes of thousands of Harvard men, past and current, athletes and non-athletes alike.

But why Tom Bolles? He is one of this country's finest crew coaches. His record is extraordinary. There is no reason to assume it would not have continued. The College can hardly afford to lose him on the Charles, whatever the gain in the H.A.A. office.

Bolles is certainly not the comparatively "young and vigorous" man the University said it was looking for when it accepted the sudden resignation of William J. Bingham a few months ago. Bingham was 60 years old; Bolles is 48--a difference of only twelve years. Surely this relatively small gain in youthfulness and vigorousness does not explain Bingham's replacement.

It is possible to speculate that Bingham resigned--or was asked to quit--because his views on amateurism conflicted with University policies. But Bolles' views are nearly the same as those of his predecessor. Was Bolles appointed because his great popularity would allow him to understand alumni pressure better than others? If so, this is a poor reason for taking him off the Charles.

The University has painstakingly sought out a fine man for the athletic directorship. But in doing so it has removed, or severely constricted, its most successful coach. Considering the University's statements about the type of man it was seeking, the gain in one post just doesn't seem to balance the loss in the other. Or does this new appointment mark some change in overall administrative policy? That, and the reason for the choice of Bolles are questions which must have interesting answers. They ought to be good answers too.