User talk:WardLarkin

The wiki bio entry for NBA coach Bill Fitch provides that he was a Marine Drill Sergeant. I don't think this is correct.

When did Bill Fitch have the time to train to become and then be a Marine Drill Sergeant? Fitch went to college when he was 18. He graduated 4 years later, in 1954. His basketball coaching career started in 1956 and was uninterrupted until 1998.

Bill Fitch didn't have time to become a Marine Drill Sergeant. Fitch would have had to have served as a Marine on an off-season basis. The Marines don't allow that. The Marines don't do things like "OK. Be a basketball coach first, then when you have the spare time you can be a Marine. You can train to become a Drill Sergeant in your spare time. THen you can serve as a Drill Sergeant in your spare time."

Also, here are some sources providing that it was Bill Fitch's father (Doc) who was the Marine Drill Sergeant.

Bill Fitch went to Coe College. Coe's alumni website provides that it was Doc (not Bill) Fitch who was the Marine Drill Sergeant.

http://www.public.coe.edu/historyweb/alumni_fitch_bill.htm

This Bismark North Dakota Tribune article provides that Doc (not Bill) Fitch was the Marine Drill Sergeant.

https://bismarcktribune.com/news/columnists/curt-eriksmoen/coach-fitch-figure-traces-roots-to-und/article_4e8789d8-5faa-5bad-92a9-1984386ad1f6.html

This L.A. Times article provides that Doc (not Bill) Fitch was the Marine Drill Sergeant.

http://articles.latimes.com/1994-08-21/sports/sp-29630_1_bill-fitch

WardLarkin (talk) 23:53, 5 August 2018 (UTC)