A “boatload” of Jayhawk memorabilia sold at the former athletic director’s garage sale this week could as well have gone to benefit youth groups or other organizations.

A front-page Journal-World story earlier this week told about former Kansas University athletic director Al Bohl having a garage sale to dispose of “LOTS of barely used Jayhawk clothing & mementos.”

Included in the sale were stones engraved with Jayhawks, Jayhawk books, a golf bag, Jayhawk pins, Jayhawk shirts and a “boatload” of Jayhawk hats.

It’s understandable the former AD would like to get rid of these reminders of his days in Allen Fieldhouse, which ended with his ouster, but it would seem there could have been a better way to rid himself of these items. As Bohl noted, “As athletic director, you get invited to events — golf tournaments and things — and at every one of them, it seems, they give you a hat.”

Apparently these items have been given to Bohl — freebies — and he sold them for a profit. That’s fine. He can do whatever he wishes.

But consider how thrilled any number of youth organizations would have been to have received some of these items for their members.

Also, one has to wonder whether Bohl may have received other “free” gifts during his travels as KU’s athletic director that he may have decided to keep — items far more valuable than rocks, pins and shirts. There are some “fringe benefits” tied to this job.

Again, it’s just a matter of taste and Bohl certainly has the right to do whatever he wishes, but many young KU fans have been denied an opportunity to have what would have been highly prized mementos of their Jayhawks.