Long Untested Trackmen Compete in BAA Games

The track team goes into the Big Meet part of its schedule starting tomorrow with very little experience against top competition.

Coach Bill McCurdy's squad dumped its opening meet to Army and then massacred Boston University, Boston College, and Northeastern. At West Point very few runners were in top shape and the field men (with the exception of Ron Wilson) were sluggish.

Since that Dec. 10 meet several sophomores, like Charlie Ajootian, have developed rapidly and old hands, like Captain Wayne Andersen, have hit their prime early. There were still some problems in those three meets against area pushovers. But they don't stand out too much when you win by 50 or 60 points.

Tomorrow, some members of the team will complete in the Boston Athletic Association meet in the Boston Garden. Dashman Andersen will be there along with Steve Schoonover, who just cleared 15 ft. in the pole vault during practice last week. Jeff Huvelle, whose injured leg has healed, will be part of a mile relay team that is not yet fully determined.

Record-holder Dave McKelvey (600)--McCurdy's most pleasant surprise this season--is a big question mark. Exams could keep him away from the Garden. Exams will keep Trey Burns (1000) and Jim Baker (mile) away.

The BAA meet is a bit ill-timed for Harvard, coming four days before the end of exam period. And that is too bad. The meet could provide the kind of competition many men on the team really need--and haven't had since before Christmas vacation.

The Knights of Columbus Games at the Garden two weeks ago were a little help. Schoonover finished fifth in the high jump at 14 ft. 6 in. and he was up against some fine competition. Mel Hein was at 16 ft. But it was Huvelle, McKelvey, Burns, and Baker who got the most practice.

Their two-mile relay squad reeled off a time of 7:33. 6 to break the old University record by nearly seven seconds. They lost to Fordham but whipped powerhouse Villanova. The squad has been invited to the Philadelphia Inquirer Games during intersession but they might not go.

A freshman one-mile relay team--composed of John Dugan, Tom Downer, Roy Shaw, and Keith Colburn--was Harvard's only winner in the K of C's. The same four runners stand a good chance in the BAA meet Saturday.

More Big Meets are coming up, and the BAA will provide solid competition for only a limited number of men. The Greater Boston Collegiate meet is Feb. 18 and it is followed closely by the Big Three meet at New Haven. Area colleges are pushovers, but Yale and Princeton have greatly improved. They could give the Crimson a tussle for a change.

Then in March are the IC4A's (third last year) and the Heptagonals (first last year). Harvard could get its revenge when it meets Army again in these two contests.

It was Dec. 10 when the Cadets snapped McCurdy's cherished winning streak of 28 dual meets. Now it's three.