Harriers Aim for H-Y-P Meet

It is the HYP triangular grind that Jaakko Mikkola's cross country men have been pointing at ever since they first jogged out of Dillon Field House early this fall. True, there is a little matter to be settled with twenty-odd distance men from Dartmouth and New Hampshire today, and a race has to be run against a reputedly excellent outfit from Toledo on November 1 before Manager Gorham Brigham packs his squad off for the land of the Tiger. Still, important as these meets may seem on their eve, it is the Armistice Day finale that dominates the future.

With last year's victory to defend, the Crimson ten sent down to New Jersey will be a much weaker combination than that which toed the mark on the home course in 1934; while the Orange and Black will line up an unusually powerful contingent. Furthermore, Harvard harriers, used to racing along the level banks of the Charles River, have always found the hilly terrain of Princeton to be a decided disadvantage.

Pace-Setter Playfair

But on closer examination of Jaakko's squad, a good basis for optimism can be found. Bob Playfair, pace-setter and captain of the Crimson pack, broke the HYP tape last year and was undefeated until he sunk spike in the Van Cortlandt Park Intercollegiate track. It was there that hills, the old Crimson cross country bugaboo, proved to be too stiff a handicap and forced him back to twentieth place. This year, however, Bob has been leading his teammates over the grassy slopes of the Brookline Country Club, loping over bunkers with apparent case and utter disregard of the Brookline Motor-mounted Police. In spite of this altitude work, however, Bob's greatest rival at Princeton will be the up-grades, although Woodland, Eli athlete who finished a bare 7 seconds behind him last year, will be a definite threat.

A Couple of Stitches

Hayden Channing is another HYP veteran, placing fourth last year. Prior to this fall, Hayden almost always developed a stitch during the final mile of a race due to a torn muscle suffered while running during his public school days in England. So far this season, however, he has been able to complete the course without undue abdominal discomfort. Also subject to stitches is Axel Northrop, captain of last year's Freshmen. Developing one early in the Holy Cross meet, it forced him far down in the finishing order. Should he out-grow this affliction, as apparently did Hayden, however, Axel will go down to Princeton one of the Crimson mainstays.

Outstanding in improvement has been Bill Wright, Sophomore runner, but Henry, Marcy has been pressing him hard for this honer. Rough-diamend of the squad is Jack Lovejoy. Although a Junior, he started his running career this fall and immediately won imself a place on the team. So far, however, he has found trouble lengthening his stride the proper amount. Although Norman Leen, Gene Walker, John O'Neill, and cyrus DeCoster have been among the starting ten, they not yet hit their top ferm.