Bartko (c) had been working at the Univ. of Oregon in a fundraising roleJIM BARTKO
Former Fresno State AD JIM BARTKO died yesterday while "undergoing surgery after collapsing during a morning workout." The 54-year-old Bartko had been working at the Univ. of Oregon in a "fundraising position." Hired by Fresno State in '14, he "pushed a transformative Bulldog Stadium renovation plan," hired former football head coach JEFF TEDFORD, "oversaw the return of a wrestling program and addition of women’s water polo, taking on an athletics department overburdened by 21 sports programs." All the while, he dealt with "insomnia and anxiety issues that went back to his childhood" as a survivor of "sexual abuse by a Catholic priest." His tenure "ended abruptly with a resignation" in November '17. He later "filed a wrongful termination claim against the university, alleging that he was forced to resign after being subjected to a 'whisper campaign'" by university President JOSEPH CASTRO and other school officials (FRESNO BEE, 3/17).
NAMES: Former Oklahoma State walk-on BLAKE JARWIN plans on "donating part of his signing bonus from his contract extension" with the Cowboys as a way to "help OSU workers who were affected by the canceling of spring sports" (TULSA WORLD, 3/17)....Twins TV announcer DICK BREMER's memoir -- "GAME USED: MY LIFE IN STITCHES WITH THE MINNESOTA TWINS" -- was released today. The book includes 108 "mini-stories or 'stitches,' -- one for each stitch on a baseball -- primarily written during the offseason" between the '18 and '19 seasons (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 3/17)....MARSHAWN LYNCH appeared in the Season 3 premiere of HBO’s “WESTWORLD" on Sunday. He plays the character Giggles, a "silent mercenary for hire," alongside actor LENA WAITHE (S.F. CHRONICLE, 3/17).
