In 1972, Bowerman stepped back from day-to-day coaching activities to conduct fundraising for renovating the Hayward Field grandstands that would be necessary for the consideration of hosting the Montreal Olympic Trials. He also ran unsuccessfully for a House seat in the Oregon Legislature in 1970 as a Republican, losing by only 815 votes out of 61,000 cast. According to the Eugene "Register-Guard" newspaper, Bowerman officially retired as the University of Oregon head coach on March 23, 1973, and was succeeded by assistant coach Bill Dellinger.