HARRY CARLSON IS MAN BEHIND WHIZZER WHITE

While football fans of Jamestown, like others throughout the nation, have had their attention attracted to Colorado university this season, due to the sensational feats of Byron (Whizzer) White, high individual scoring ace of the country, many local people do not realize that Harry G. Carlson, formerly of this city, is athletic director of the highly publicized small Rocky Mountain conference college.

“There is really only one out-and-out athletic director in the conference,” writes James Dodd in The Denver Saturday night. “And even he has to coach baseball. Or, perhaps I should say, he wants to coach baseball. He is Harry G. Carlson of the University of Colorado. The rest of them double in brass as either coaches or managers. That makes being an athletic director in the Rockies a tougher task than in most places.”

Getting back to Carlson, the far western writer says he has what it takes. “He must have, for in addition to athletics, he is also dean of men. Now, there’s a job that would try the patience of a saint.”

Still, Carlson goes his way silently, swiftly and smilingly. Those who know say that’s because Boulder’s bowl is paid for. The former Jamestowner brought along his seven-league boots when he went to Colorado. In other words, he’s made rapid strides. Eight years ago he was out of Springfield college by way of the Cincinnati Reds, where he had been a right-hand pitcher.

As a boy, Harry attended the local public schools, later moving to Cleveland with members of his family. After graduating from East High, he went to Slippery Rock, Pa., Normal school and then to Springfield. After coaching prep school teams in New England and the middle west, he went to Colorado in 1929.

Harry will be remembered best here as a baseball pitcher. After completing school, he competed in the International league before joining the Reds.

As athletic director at Colorado, Carlson is very close to the administration as well as coaches, and so far has managed to keep everyone happy, adding another big feather in his cap. There’s a dignity, a depth, about the man that leaves a lasting impression on everyone.

Carlson was instrumental in bringing Bill Saunders to coach the Mountaineers. Although criticized at first, Carlson stuck to his guns and results have proven he was correct in his judgment.

Harry’s baseball team last spring tied Denver university for the conference championship. To Carlson, baseball is still the greatest game in the world even if it doesn’t pay the freight of big business athletics.

“Mendelssohn’s Spring Song may thrill music lovers, but Carlson’s favorite song is a ringing, singing base hit that crashes through the twilight and sends home the winning run. There’s no better way to send him home happy, either.

“He looks like the Melancholy Dane, but he’s a jolly, good fellow, which nobody can deny.”

Harry Carlson is the son of Mrs. Matilda Carlson, 34 Linwood Avenue, where she resides with her son, Viking, a draftsman employed at the municipal power plant.