Harvard-Yale Team Works Out In Preparation for Track Meet With Oxford-Cambridge Tonight

OXFORD, June 8--Gamesmanship and Oneupmanship were in widespread use yesterday as the Harvard-Yale track team completed its last hard workout before the meet Wednesday evening with Oxford and Cambridge in London's White City Stadium. Kevin Gilligan, Oxford's excellent distance runner did his best to undermine American morale yesterday by taking his workout in the Iffley Road running ground at the same time as the U.S. team was practicing. Gilligan began running along with two Yale performers, miler Jim Wade and two-miler John Morrison, planning to do a half-mile in two laps, run through another half-mile, and jog ad infinitum. However, Gilligan set such a demanding pace (covering the half-miles in 2:05 and jogging the laps in between at nearly the same speed) that the exhausted Elis were soon reduced to a sort of relay system: one runner staying with Gilligan while the other rested. After watching Gilligan's exhibition, Harvard two-miler Dyke Benjamin gritted his teeth and gave the Oxford performer something to think about by turning in eight quartermiles under 60.0, two of them faster than his previous personal best.

The psychological battle continued off the track. The Oxford men regaled the Americans with tales of beerdrinking and cigar smoking during track season and then conducted the visitors on a tour of the local pubs in an attempt to substantiate their stories. Several Americans were skeptical: Harvard's Tom Blodgett, a pole vaulter, observed, "They're just trying to psych us. The ones we see drinking and smoking aren't the one's well be running against--but they don't tell us that."

For all their efforts, the English are likely to win no more than four of the 15 events. Only first places count in the meet, as has been the practice since the series began in 1899. The British have won nine meets against seven for the Americans and there has been one tie.

Stephen Jamex of Oxford has run the mile in 4:05:1 and should win easily as should Joe Clayton of Cambridge, a 202ft. javelin thrower. Oxford's David Churchill, who has "longjumped" (broadjumped) 23 ft. 6 in., should take his event and Gilligan, an 8:84 two-miler, will win if he can hold off a determined Benjamin. Oxford's Donald Smith, who has done a 1:49.4 880 would be the favorite if he were in peak condition, but he is not. Yale's Tommy Carroll should triumph here.

Frank Yeomans of Harvard, Dave Bain and Steve Snyder of Yale should make short work of the sprints--although Cambridge's Dewo Roberts has a 9.8 100 to his credit. The 440 may turn into a battle between two Americans, Harvard captain Albie Gordon and Yale sophomore Jim Stack. The Crimson's Joel Landau is favored in the high hurdles over Rex Van Rossum of Oxford, and either Landau or Yale's Jay Luck should take the lows. The 4 x 110 relay should go to the Americans. Either Blodgett or Yale freshman Oakley Andrews should easily win the pole vault, since Cambridge's Stuart Downhill, the best Englishman, has done only 12 ft., 5 1/2 in. Bill Markle of Yale should finish first in the shot put and his teammate Mike Pyle is the discus choice. All four high jumpers, Patrick MacKenzie and Peter Jackson of Cambridge and John deKiewiet and Marty Beckwith of Harvard are right around the 6 ft., 3 in. level, but deKiewiet is the most consistent.