Swimmers Host Dartmouth In Crucial Meet for Both

Harvard will need outstanding performances from all its swimmers if it is to upset Dartmouth in an important Eastern League meet at 4 p.m. Saturday in the IAB.

The Big Green, which ranks 12th in the nation and boasts three All-Americans on its squad, has the best chance of ending Yale's streak of seven league titles in the last eight years. In their only two meets, the Indians swamped Wesley and Williams.

One crucial factor Saturday may be the scheduling. The Harvard meet sticks out in the Dartmouth schedule as the only tough contest from December to February, whereas the Crimson had its mind on Army and Navy until Christmas vacation. In addition, Dartmouth swimmers have less academic interference in January because of the school's trimester system.

Harvard's main advantage will be competing at home. This can be a big psychological boost, and is particularly helpful to swimmers on turns and to divers. Two years ago in Cambridge, the Crimson turned in a tremendous upset of the Indians.

Dartmouth is strongest in the specialty strokes and the sprints, while Harvard has an edge in distance freestyle and possibly the dives. But in almost every event, the contestants are closely matched, and depth should be extremely important.

The Big Green is favored to get the psychological edge by winning the first race, the medley relay. There's a small chance Harvard coach Bill Brooks will keep his best men out of this event so they can save their strength.

Among the best races may be the 50-free (Harvard's Mike Cahalan, Dartmouth's Chris Carstensen), the breaststroke (Tim Chetin, Jack Dichard), and the backstroke (Dan Kobick, Jim Gottschalk).

It may all come down to the final event, the freestyle relay.