Varsity Swimmers Defeat Trailing Navy Team, 56-39

The Navy went down like a bucket Saturday night, as varsity swimmers toppled records and came up with surprises to sink 56 to 39 the team that had sunk Yale.

After nine events, the trailing Midshipmen had to take the first two places in the 200 breaststroke to come within winning distance in the final 400 freestyle relay. But Crimson sophomore John Pringle sprinted to an unexpected and close second in the breaststroke behind Navy record smasher Don Griffin to sew the meet up before 1,500 screaming fans.

After dropping the first two events--the 400 medley relay and the 200 freestyle--coach Bill Brooks's boys lit out for glory.

The much-touted Navy strength in the sprints either waned suddenly or failed to materialize. Bruce Hunter edged Middy ace Ashley Norfleet by half a second and tied his own pool record in the 50 yard freestyle, while both Hunter and Crimson surprise Bill Zentgraf trounced Norfleet solidly in the 100.

Major surprises came in the three-meter dive and the 200 butterfly. Showing the finest form of his career, varsity diver Jeff Lewy stole top honors from Navy veteran Wallace Guthrie.

Crimson butterfly artist Jim Coffman also turned in an unexpectedly tremendous performance. Leading from the start Coffman took off at the seventh turn to down both Crimson ace John Pringle and Navy senior George Worthington in near record time.

Not so surprising was the easygoing triumph of Bob Kaufmaun, who outdistanced eastern breaststroke champion Don Griffin and set pool and Harvard marks in the 200 individual medley.

The Summary:

400 medley relay--won by Navy (Leuth, Criffin, Cherry, Digot); second, Harvard (Hayden, Schellstede, Coffman, Bissell). Time--3:53.5. 220 freestyle--won by Hopkins (N); 2, Southall (H); 3, Mulligan (H). Time--2:09.1.

50 freestyle--won by Hunter (H); 2, Norfleet (N); 3, Oldham (N). Time--22.2 (equals pool record). 200 individual medley--won by Kaufmann (H); 2, Griffin (N); 3, Pringle (H). Time--2:05.8 (new pool and Harvard records).

Dive--won by Levy (H) 74.93 points; 2, Guthrie (N); 3, Kroner (N). 200 butterfly--won by Coffman (H); 2, Pringle (H); 3, Worthington (N). Time--2:07.8. 100 freestyle--won by Hunter (H); 2, Zentgraf (H); 3, Norfleet (N). Time--49.3.

200 backstroke--won by Kaufmann (H); 2, Leuth (N); 3, Vermaire (N). Time--2:13.5. 440 freestyle--won by Hopkins (N); 2, Mulligan (H); 3, Seagren (H). Time--4:42.7. 200 breast-stroke--won by Griffin (N); 2, Pringle (H): 3, Schellstede (H). Time--2:22.3 (new pool record). 400 free relay--won by Harvard (Engleberg, Zentgraf, Kaufmann, Hunter. Time--3:17.7 (new pool and Harvard records)