Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-04

any university in the South
VI would do as much for its ath-
7 letics as the appointment of
James G.. Driver as director of
athletics at the University of Virginia
will do for athletics there. Not only
does Drivers appointment mean that
Virginia will have at the head OF its
athletics a real business man and a
good organizer with a diplomatic way
of getting things done. but also man
who knows athletics, is fair, and has
the kind of personality that makes for
him lasting friendships.
Every Virginia alumnus. every well
wisher of the Charlottesville institution
NAV sit back with a comfortable feel
ing because the announcement Of Driv-
ers appointment undoubtedly means
that athletics at Virginia will be handled
better than at any time in the whole
history of the university, and that In
no wise depreciateS the excellent work
done by others. 1t simply means that
Driver is about the best man for the
job Virginia could have got.
Succeeds in Hard Task.
What Driver has done for athletics
at the University of South Carolina he
can do at Virginia, and probably with
greater eaan because he will have more
to work with and certainly better
condition to start with than he found
at South Carolina. Driver went to
South Carolina in 1924, and at that
time South Carolina virtually had moth
ing, except a lot of discontentment
among various factions. Its teams
were not holding their own against
other schools and equipment was very
poor.
Under Drivers direction the Column
bia School rose in four years from its
lowly position to a point where in its
first two foot ball games last Fall 1t
beat Chicago and Virginia. 1t has had
remarkable success in all branches of
sports in comparison to what 1t had
before Driver took charge, and not only
has the school been doing some credit
able things in competition but 1t has
built up its equipment.
A new athletic field has been con-
structed at a cost of a good many
thousands of dollars. Stands line the
field on all sides. In addition to that,
Driver worked out a scheme to finance
a field house for dressing facilities for
athletes and also for use for basket
ball games. That field house offers
about the best basket ball facilities in
the South, seating about 1000 persons
and being constructed in the form OF
small amphitheater, virtually an indoor
stadium. The university also has
separate base ball field with stands
for it.
South Carolina will be sorry to lose
Jimmie Driver. It will not get man
to fill his shoes, and South Carolina
will not make the progress in the next
five years that it has in the last.
Driver studied his job and went at it
in a way that proved beyond question
his exceptional ability to organize and
manage college athletics. No other
man in the South has put across a
VIII Feel His Way.
Just how Driver will go about his
Job at Virginia remains to be seen, but
he will not move too rapidly. He has
too much sense to do that. Driver
knows as well as anybody that many
cross-currents exist at Virginia, and
knows also full well that to put across
his Job as he desires he must take
those currents and gradually turn them
into the same channel. Driver will do
just that, and do 1t almost without
seeming to. And in doing that he will
develop a great eddy. getting nowhere,
into a powerful stream capable of ac-
Complishing great things.
Drivers position at Virginia will be
n little different from that held by any
of his predecessors. except possibly DR..
Lambeth. He is to be athletic director
and have faculty rank, and he I'M
doubtedly will be depended on to shape
the policies of the university in inter-
collegiate sports, much as DR.. Lambeth
did, and probably with the same free
hand. Those who really are interested
in putting Virginia athletics on the
stable plane they should occupy will
get back Of Driver, lend him their aid
and help him do the job.
Has Had Difficulties.
It Is not a secret that Virginia has
had a hard time in the last few years
financing it's athletics. One reason for
that is that it has attempted to do
more than it had the money to do.
Driver will correct that. He will do
things more economically and will not
attempt more than he can carry out.
Furthermore, he will find ways to in
crease the revenues of athletics. In
other words. he will solve Virginias
financial problems in so far as they
relate 10 athletics He will put the
coaching of the various teams on a
more stable foundation. and will see
that the coaches are given the oppor-
tunities to handle their jobs as they
think best. And. better than either of
these, Driver will get Virginia people,
students, faculty and alumni to pull
together
1t has not been made known Just
who was responsible for Drivers ap-
pointment to be head of athletics at
Virginia. but whoever was, he or they
may feel satisfied that it is the best
thing that could possibly have hap