Crews Put Win Streaks on Line Today

There's no end to the aggravation oarsmen must suffer; not only do they work harder and longer at getting in condition and perfecting their technique than 90 per cent of all other athletes, but they must also put up with low attendance at their races and with anonymity--no glory for the guy pulling an oar.

Take Harvard's lightweights for instance. They are currently the major power in the collegiate rowing world, going into today's race with Navy at Annapolis for the Haines Cup with an amazing five-year, 27 win, perfect record--UCLA pales in comparison.

The lights are favored going into the race, but even if they do win as expected, the only fans on hand will be, in all likelihood, friends, roommates, former oarsmen, girl friends and dedicated alumni.

Navy usually has a pretty good turnout for all its athletics events, as midshipmen are expected to participate in athletics and support Navy teams. But it looks as though the Middies will be in for another in a long string of disappointments.

The Crimson, supposedly in a building year, has convincingly shown itself to be one of the toughest lightweight crews in the country. Harvard has won easily in its two races this season--demolishing Columbia and Coast Guard, and winning going away against MIT, Dartmouth and Coast Guard.

Comparable Margins

Navy lost to Princeton by eight seconds already this season and, since Princeton and Harvard have had comparable margins over the crews each has met, the Crimson should probably handle the Middies.

Which will probably really burn Carl Ullrich, the heavy crew coach at Navy who has directed that the Naval Academy boats and oars all be American-made in the interests of an All-American program. Ullrich likes to beat no school the way he likes to beat Harvard--the trouble is he rarely gets to do it.

Last year the Crimson, under departed coach Steve Gladstone, smashed Navy by nine seconds on the Charles. It was the sixteenth straight victory for Harvard in the 16-year history of the Haines Cup. Fledgling coach John Higginson wants to keep the string going.

Higginson has been experimenting with his crew's start this past week. Today Harvard will probably start at a 45, settle to a 41 after 15 strokes, and settle to a 35 for the body of the race. Higginson wants the crew to get a real leap on the opposition early in the race.