Crimson Thinclads Race for Boston Title Today

Harvard's thinclads run up against Boston's best university talent in the Greater Boston Championships (GBC s) tonight at Harvard and tomorrow at Tufts University.

The festivities kick off with a barrage of field events, all beginning at 6 p.m. in Harvard's Briggs Cage. The Crimson will be looking for several first places, including Mel Embree in the high jump, Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace in the long and triple jump, and Jim Kleigar in the pole vault.

Harvard will need more than just these four first places if it wants to head off Northeastern. The Huskies conquered Harvard in the regular winter season, 60-58, and the Crimson is eager for revenge.

Crimson coach Edgar Stowell said yesterday that the meet will be a battle between Harvard's field event strength and Northeastern's running depth.

"We should have some outstanding performances from all our top field men, and I'm looking for several meet records to fall," Stowell said.

The Crimson might not figure to have as much luck in the weight department. With Gerassi tossing the 35 lb. shot for Northeastern, the Crimson's Jay Hughes and Steve Niemi might be left to do battle for second and third laurels.

But the most exciting battles of the GBC's will undoubtedly be held at Tufts' indoor facility tomorrow at 1 p.m.

In that day of running competition, Harvard will pit top miler Ric Rojas against arch-rival Mike Buckley of Northeastern. After edging out Buckley in a dual meet at Northeastern, Rojas succumbed to the fleet Buckley in a televised mile at Bentley College.

Rojas's bid for a best-of-three challenge could be interrupted by Boston College's Keith Francis. Francis, the favorite in the 1000, may come back in a double running effort.

Harvard's Sam Butler will try to find a few chinks in the armor of Boston University's Ford Dennis, last year's IC4A champ, and Tyler, an undefeated hurdler.

In the 880 Crimson hopes rest with freshman Steve Brown, who has put together several fast legs in two-mile relay competition.

The meet however, will probably go down to the relays, where Harvard could be at a disadvantage. Although the Crimson's mile-relay team is looking pretty invincible, the two-mile squad appears vulnerable to a Boston College and Northeastern attack.

Stowell said that he will be surprised if the meet does not go down to the last few events. "I don't think either Harvard or Northeastern will walk away with it, but we will have to pick up quite a few points in the field events to stay the defending Greater Boston champion," he said.