Burdened But Unbowed, John Harvard Faced Peace Again

Despite Boston sportscribes like Dave Egan, who continued to scream editorially about what he called "the dry rot and decay which have overthrown the Harvards. . . here in a corner of the country where college (athletes) are strict amateurs and play like strict amateurs," the Crimson athletic situation was looking up this past year.

The schedules were new. In track, for example, it was NYU, Penn State, Army instead of Milton Academy, Andover, or Worcester Polytech. Hordes of returning veterans pulled the Crimson back into the sports headlines.

The football fever swept Cambridge early and stayed late right up to that final, windy afternoon in November when 57,000 fans jammed into the Stadium to watch a once-beaten Crimson eleven smash across two quick, first-period touchdowns and then knuckle under to superior Eli power, as the script had specified. There was always next year, of course, and with seven of the Varsity regulars returning, it was fairly easy to start looking ahead.

Harriers, Booters Lose

Meanwhile, cross country and seccer men were finding the going a bit rougher, with the harriers bogging down badly in seventh place at the Heps and trailing Yale in the Big Three meet. The booters wound up on the short and of a 3 to 2 count against the Elis in a game that gradually turned into a mudbath.

Even before the end of the football season, newly-appointed basketball coach Bill Barelay was busy experimenting with the team whose predecessor had represented New England in the NCAA hoop tourney. Barelay introduced a modified western style of ball, stressed teamplay, and produced a quintet that managed to win more games than it lost.

March 10 Blue

The weekend of March 10, however, was pretty blue all around. At New Haven, Tony Lavelli, Eli basketball All-American, pumped in 32 points as Yale unceremoniously trounced the Varsity 60 to 38; Yale swimmers doused the Crimson 49 to 26; and on the Eli ice. Harvard was beaten 4 to 2.

The Varsity five made a dramatic exit later on in the Arena, however, when it handed Yale a 46 to 42 defeat, thanks to three points by substitute forward Jack Noble in the last 52 seconds of play. The winter track team choked the Buildog 55 to 45 at New Haven.

April-showers, and May-flower time brought a fresh harvest of Crimson victories. On the cinders, coach Mikkola's lads began scourging the Ivy League with prewar vitality. While his assistant Ed Flanagan worked with the weightmen, Mikkola waved the magic wand over javelin throwers and polevaulters. The Crimson disposed of Yale, swept the Nonagonals, and then went on to roll up 24 points in the 44-college IC4A championships at Philadelphia for a third-place tie with Penn State. Harvard track had rebounded from its wartime pygmy status with a vengeance.

Varsity crew and baseball teams have still to reach a season climax, with the nine scheduled to meet Yale again tomorrow at New Haven, and the Varsity eight ready to row it our--over a four-mile course--with the Elis on the Thames Wednesday. The 150-pound Varsity boat has already finished its second straight year undefeated.