Harvard Distance Runners Lodge Bid in Penn Relays

Many of the nation's finest runners-including Harvard's Keith Colburn-will congregate in Philadelphia today for the opening of the Penn Relays.

The two-day event poses a knotty problem for Harvard, however, in that the Crimson must face Dartmouth here tomorrow afternoon without the help of distance men Colburn, Jon Enscoe, Dave Pottetti, Roy Shaw, and Tom Spengler.

Their absence throws some doubt on a dual meet that otherwise would have been a sure Harvard victory. But head coach Bill McCurdy feels that the risk is a safe one, and that it is important to send the Crimson's best performers to the Penn Relays.

Abnormal Worry

"Dartmouth is a meet that we would not normally worry about," he said yesterday. "But they are much improved from last year, and we are giving up a lot of sure points in the distance events."

There is some question as to where tomorrow's meet will be held. The Harvard track is in poor repair and probably will not be ready by tomorrow. In that event, the meet will be shifted to B.C.'s tartan surface track.

Only three Crimson field-events men-Ed Nosal, Noel Hare, and Bob Gailiers-will compete at the Penn Relays. But the distance contingent will lodge serious bids in the Hep mile relay the distance medley, and the four-mile relay.

Villanova and the University of Texas at El Paso are favored, along with Harvard, in the distance medley and the four-mile. "One thing is certain," McCurdy said. "They won't be taking us lightly."

Walter Johnson and Ben Lounsbury are entered in the 440 hurdles for Harvard, and Pottetti will run in the grueling steeplechase.

In the relays, the Crimson lineup will be Colburn, Tom Downer, Enscoe, and Shaw in the Hep mile: Colburn, Downer, Johnson, and John Keating in the distance medley: and Colburn, Enscoe, Shaw, and Spengler in the four-mile on Saturday.

In the dual meet against Darimouth tomorrow, the Indians will be strongest in the throwing events-particularly the hammer, shot, and disens.

Dartmouth captain DeWitt Davies, Bi Dinneen, and George Reemer are superlative hammer throwers, and Reemer a sophomore Ted Moody are favorites in ? shot.

But the rest of the points should f(??)in Harvard's direction. Sheer depth in the distance events, and a clear edge the sprints, the hurdles, and the relays ?ould be sufficient to fend off any seri? Dartmouth challenge.