Eliot, Leverett Fight for Straus Cup

The battle for the Straus Trophy ends this week and either Leverett of Eliot will emerge as 1966-66 House Athletic champion.

Leverett led Eliot, 1150 to 1072, at the beginning of April but Eliot, by dominating five of the seven spring sports, has been steadily making up the difference.

The Eliot crew is uncoached and slightly weaker than in recent years but it is still the favorite in the six boat final this afternoon. Kirkland looks like the only major threat to Eliot's traditional success.

Leverett might gain back some points in the running half of the House track meet Friday. Their strong squad includes all four members of last year's winning half-mile relay team. But Eliot sprinters led by Mike Halleck should run well, and Leverett's winning margin will probably be small.

Leverett could gain as many as fifty points in the House golf tournament which ends today. No one scored very well in Tuesday's first round but Leverett's five man average of 87.4 gives hem the lead going into the final 18 holes. Eliot lagged far back in the field Tuesday.

The race between the two houses is so close that Eliot may have given itself a winning margin by sweeping the rowing singles yesterday. Eliot had winners in all three divisions and picked up 35 points on Leverett which did not participate, 10 of the 13 entries were from Eliot.

Eliot had expected to finish well ahead of Leverett in baseball, tennis, and softball, but after Eliot losses in tennis and softball this week, it appears that the Straus Trophy rivals will finish with almost identical records in these three sports.

Yesterday Lowell handed Eliot a 5-2 loss in tennis, their first of the season. The Lowell tennis team is undefeated and assured of the House title.

In softball, the big games will be played today and tomorrow. Undefeated Winthrop is matched against Leverett, (5-1). Kirkland and Eliot, both 5-1, will also play. Eliot had been undefeated until this week when it was upset 12-8 by Lowell.