Crimson Track Team Will Face Strongest Yale Squad in Years

At the end of the week's last track practice yesterday, the entire team grouped together and began circling the Stadium en masse, in time to "Ten Thousand Men of Harvard." From an artistic viewpoint, the music was mildly terrible, but the spirit it indicated will be the varsity's biggest asset tomorrow against a powerful Yale squad.

The Crimson will depart for New Haven tonight, and early tomorrow afternoon they will be the underdogs as they face one of the strongest Bulldog squads in history. On paper, Yale must be given the edge, but the varsity is a definite threat to end the Bulldogs' hopes for an undefeated season.

It is impossible to single out key events, since a surprise performance or a smashing victory anywhere along the line could break this perennially explosive meet wide open. Strong Crimson performances in the first two events, the mile and the 440, could, as they have in the past, precipitate a decisive triumph.

Dyke Benjamin will carry the varsity's hopes in the mile, where he will be facing the Elis' Jim Wade, who turned in a 4:15.2 effort last week. Jed Fitzgerald and Fred Howard could make the event a sweep for the Crimson. If Yale coach Bob Giegengack decides to run his ace Tommy Carroll in the mile, however, the race should turn into a sensational two-man battle between the smooth-striding Carroll and Benjamin.

In the 440, Crimson captain Albie Gordon will meet John Slowik, Jack Knebel, and probably ailing Jim Stack, all of whom have run well under 49.0. With his tremendous drive, Gordon just might go all the way here.

Landau Favored in Hurdles

Joel Landau may try to equal his sensational quadruple of last year. Landau should take the hurdles, and he and Eli Steve Snyder have run almost identical times in the dashes. Varsity men Sandy Dodge, if his injured leg holds out, and Frank Yeomans will threaten the leaders, as will Bulldog Dave Bain.

Benjamin should have a relatively easy time in the two-mile, but the important thing here may be what teammate Jed Fitzgerald can do. Only the 880 looks totally bleak for the varsity, as the Bulldog trio of Carroll, Ed Slowik, and Ned Roache seem unbeatable.

Judging by his 180-ft. effort earlier this season, Eli Dave Cross must be favored in the hammer, but the Crimson Jim Doty and Stan Doten still could take one-two. Hank Abbot will need a fine effort to place in the shot, and John Bronstein and Doten are on a par with the Eli discus men.

Tom Blodgett is perhaps the key man in the field events. Off his record, he should win the javelin and the pole vault. John deKiewiet is favored in the high jump over Al Leisenring, and any one of four men, including the varsity's Pat Liles and Bob Downs, could take the broad jump