Bertagna Will Quit Sports Information To Pursue Success Of Globe Parody

Joseph D. Bertagna '73 sports information director, announced last week that he will leave Harvard to follow up on his success with the recent Boston Globe parody and pursue a writing career.

The popularity of "Not the Boston Globe," put out by Bertagna and six other journalists last November, encouraged Bertagna and two partners to consider distributing similar parodies in other cities, he said yesterday. Bertagna will finish his fourth year as sports information director before beginning fulltime work on new creative writing projects.

Bombs Away

As sports information director, Bertagna coordinates all information concerning the University's 39 varsity teams. Bertagna all University sports publications such as media guides, programs and the weekly University sports newsletter, and handles public relations for athletics.

John P. Reardon, Jr., director of athletics, will select Bertagna's successor. Reardon was unavailable for comment yesterday.

"What's important to me now is making the transition to nonathletics," Bertagna said, adding "everything since my school days has been sports-related."

Bertagna who wrote most of the material for the Globe parody, will work in partnership with publisher Larry Durocher and printer Dennis Jolicoeur. They intend to prepare humor issue for five or six cities, creating a pool of national and international stories and drawing upon area writers to add local color. The three are also exploring other publishing ideas, both serious and creative.

The only one to be involved fulltime in the venture. Bertagna plans to write stories as well as manage some of the business and promotion details.

Bertagna, who has spent 10 of the last 12 years at Harvard, first as a student, then as coach and information director, said his decision was not prompted by "anything negative from Harvard." He said, however, that his job might be "getting stale," adding, "if you don't take risks, you look back and kick yourself."

Starting as goalie for the Crimson his senior year. Bertagna returned to coach the junior varsity men's hockey team in 1975 and the newly formed women's hockey team for the next two years.

Launching the women's hockey program was "my most exciting experience" in the Athletic Department. Bertagna said. Since taking on his current position in 1978, he has promoted the women's teams through the sports information office.

Bertagna "has done a superb job. "Eric Cutler, assistant director of athletics, said yesterday. "He's very knowledgeable and has done a lot of good things, especially for the women's teams," Cutler added.

Saying he is excited about his impending career swing. Bertagna added, "now my only problem is who'll get tickets for me."