Prankster Takes Straus Trophy In Latest of Cup Misadventures

First they entered the Freshman Union without a coat and tie. Then they let women into the Harvard Band. And now, Harvard iconoclasts have gone one step farther; the Straus Cup, symbolic of intramural supremacy, has become their latest victim.

While Winthrop and Quincy battled this spring for the right to claim the prized possession, a prankster, with the aid of some privacy and a screwdriver, has seized the coveted Cup.

At the moment, the Straus Cup is missing. It was last seen collecting dust Sunday afternoon in the Winthrop trophy case.

Floyd Wilson, director of intramurals, took the news of the theft calmly yesterday. "In a monetary sense, it does not have a tremendous amount of value." Wilson said. "I have faith that the Winthrop boys will recover it in time for presentation."

Contacted last night. Winthrop athletic secretary Joe Stiles said he had not formed a posse to recover the trophy.

Harvard police reported that they had no leads on suspects in the theft. Cambridge police said that their detectives are on the alert but have not been called into the case.

Stiles acknowledged that the latest theft was only one in a series of recent Straus Cup adventures. Several weeks ago, the trophy was defiled by an unknown assailant, who turned the Cup upside down and crowned it with a sign reading "Freak Power."

Shortly after that, the trophy disappeared temporarily but was returned after a few days of relentless apathy.

Last week someone not only took the Cup but left four empty Schlitz beer cans in its place. Apparently satisfied with the deal. Stiles kept the cans on display, but the thief realized his mistake and reclaimed the prized cans for the trophy.

Rick Barton. Quincy athletic secretary, was not dismayed by reports of the stolen Cup. "No matter who has it now, it will be ours next year." Barton said.