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Michigan Names Track Coach, Two Assistants

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Day
19
Month
June
Year
1968
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
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26 The Ann Arbor News, Wednesday, June 19,1968

Michigan Names Track Coach, Two Assistants

Martin Succeeds Canham; Burnley Is First Negro Aide

By Wayne DeNeff

Quiet, hard working Dave Martin, Michigan assistant track coach for the last five years, today was elevated to the post of head coach.

It came as no surprise because Athletic Director-elect Don Canham had indicated weeks ago that his choice for successor would he Martin,
former Michigan track captain who sparkled as a half-miler and miler during the 1959, 1960 and 1961 seasons.

Martin’s appointment was approved by the Board in Control of Intercollegiate Athletics along with the appointments of assistant coaches Jack Harvey, a two-time Big Ten shot put champion for Michigan, and Ken Burnley, former Wolverine sprinter.

Burnley becomes Michigan’s first varsity level Negro coach.

Associates say Martin has made tremendous strides as an assistant coach, largely taking over the Michigan team this spring when Canham had a flock of new concerns as the successor to Fritz Crisler, who will start retirement on July 1.

Martin has been an able assistant to Canham, an alert student of track and field and he is known as one who takes an intense interest in the development of each individual athlete. His meets are well organized and few are as well informed on what’s going on in the world of track, both nationally and internationally, as Martin.

While the 31-year-old Martin was running for Michigan he set a school record of 4:06.9 in the mile, breaking the mark of Don McEwen, who was Martin’s coach when Martin was a prepster at Cranbrook High.

Last year, Tom Kearney lowered the record to 4:06.

Martin also ran the half-mile and set a Michigan record in the steeplechase and was an All-America selection.

During his three years of competition, Michigan won four Big Ten championships and he was a member of five relay units which won titles in the Penn Relays.

By naming two track assistants, Michigan is following the trend of many other schools which have one assistant working with runners and hurdlers and another with field event specialists.

Harvey, 22, holds the Big Ten record of 58 feet, 4 inches in the shot put and twice won Penn Relays’ titles. The 1967 Michigan captain from Birmingham took second in the NCAA Indoor Championships and was fifth outdoors.

Harvey had been an assistant track coach at Nevada since graduation. He is married to the former Judy Wilderotter of Grand Blanc.

Burnley, a sprinter who has fought injuries throughout his years of racing competition, has been prominent in the Ann Arbor Track Club and served as its president. He has been teaching at Ypsilanti East Junior High and has degrees in physical education and special education and is nearing completion work on his masters. He has been closely associated with Michigan track the last few years.

The 26-year-old Burnley, from Mumford High in Detroit competed in the 440, 220, 100 and 60-yard dashes and ran on the mile relay unit. He ran on teams which won Big Ten titles in 1962, 1963 and 1964. He married the former Eileen Brown of Highland Park and they have a daughter, Traci, 2.

Martin, whose wife is the former Nancy Brady of Gross Pointe, is the father of two boys, Dave, 6, and Matthew, 3.

Michigan’s New Track Coaches

Michigan’s famed Ferry Field track forms the background for new track coach Dave Martin (right) who will be assisted by Jack Harvey (left) and Ken Burnley. Martin succeeds Don Canham, who is Michigan athletic director elect and will succeed Fritz Crisler on July 1. Harvey is a former Big Ten shot put champion for Michigan and Burnley is a former Wolverine sprinter. Burnley is Michigan's first varsity level Negro coach.