Curry Eyes Giant Catch

Good Morning! Before those 'wonderful' eggs benedict betray your stomach, it's time once again to check in with the Journal.

Former All-Ivy receiver Jim Curry was in town recently to drop off his sister Caryn at Quincy House. The third-leading Harvard pass snatcher of all time was signed as a free agent by the New York Giants, but 'The Turk' got the better of him. Curry started off like gangbusters in a scrimmage with the Jets, but then saw 11 minutes of action against the Steelers and five ticks against the Browns.

A big spread on Jim in the now-moribund New York Daily News seemed to hurt, rather than help, Jimbo's chances. "It put a lot of pressure on the coaching staff," Curry told the Journal. It seems the Giants had a couple of receivers with high price-tags that Curry was blowing away in practice. "They kept the guys that they invested in, and my receiver coach couldn't really give me a good reason when he axed me," Jim says.

But Curry's fortunes have been looking up lately. Three members of the Giants' receiving corps are currently injured; the team personnel director, Jim Trimble, has put Curry on stand-by to rejoin the big club.

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THOUGHTS WHILE WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO GROW SO I CAN TRY TO SHAVE: Freshman intramurals already underway. Yardling Bill Lincoln recently nailed down the men's singles title in the 1978 tennis classic, while Emily Skoler prevailed in the women's division. Lynn Rosenbaum and Tory Kiani copped the crown in mixed doubles. The tourney attracted over 100 entries...Finals of freshman basketball tourney slated for tomorrow at the IAB in a 7:30 tilt...Speaking of hoop, varsity hoop coach Frank McLaughlin hopes some lanky newcomers can fill the conter-forward void left by graduation. Six-foot, ten-inch Bobby McCabe from Tabor Academy, 6-7 Cave Coatesworth from Seattle, New Haven's Don Fleming (6-5) and North Dakota timberwood Kirk Mundy (6-7), look like promising freshman talent for the front-court.

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COACHES CORNER: Cross-country coach Bill McCurdy, now in his 27th year with the Harvard harriers, was surprised by his bunch of "wild and crazy guys" during morning practice at Groton. McCurdy was standing on the course, stop-watch in tow, waiting for his charges to hustle by. Instead, a van drove up through the early morning fog; and out jumped the squad, stripped naked for a sunrise Chinese fire drill. They then got back into the van and drove off, leaving McCurdy to ponder yet another season in the totally unpredictable Ivy League...Coach Billy Cleary reportedly steaming over his new accomodations at remodeled Dillon Field House. Mr. Hockey's quarters don't have any windows. Maybe he's claustrophobic in addition to his Crimsonphobia...The Journal suggested that shuttle buses be used for Harvard hockey faithful planning to make the pilgramage to BU's Walter Brown Arena this winter...Couple of very familiar faces in the Class of '78 have nailed down assistant coaching jobs. Squash wizard Mark Panarese will help Dave Fish while Corey Wynn takes a sabbatical. Suki Magraw is set to assist with Bob Scalise and his women's soccer stalwarts. Meanwhile, Brian Petrovek, who had an abortive pro career after four superb seasons as the Crimson netminder, finds himself at the Ed School. Petro will receive degree credit as the hockey team's 'Graduate Assistant.' Hey, Brian, I guess there's something to beat out 'Boats' after all!

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DID YOU KNOW THAT: Intramural co-ordinator Floyd Wilson reports that there will be no house ice hockey this year due to the Watson Rink renovation. Wilson says house athletic secretaries are mulling over a proposal to follow Yale and eliminate dangerous kickoff return plays in House tackle football...Freshman Paula Newnham was one of England's top finishers in the 800-meter run at the recent British Commonwealth games. No wonder coach Pappy Hunt is smiling. Paula is a native of Oxford...Boston media-types are swamping Harvard SID Joe Bertagna with enquiries about freshman quarterback Ron Cuccia. The 5-9, 165-pound hot-shot has quite a rep following him from LA -- 91 TD tosses in high school. Lack of size could hurt him in the Ivies...Harvard grads Greg Stone, Chris Wood and John Brock are off to New Zealand for world rowing championships in October. Brock is the freshman heavyweight coach.