Compared to last year's undefeated Freshman crew squad, this season's outfit, captained by Charlie Chace, has given Coach Harvey Love plenty of headaches, but also the promise of a good showing by the end of the season. Presented with more than one boat-load of good oars, his main problem has been to piece his material together and work it into a winning crew.

A large number of fairly equal men on a squad is always a trouble brewer, but with the Yardling oarsmen it has turned out to be a first-class jinx. Beginning right after the vacation, Love tried every possible combination to build up a winning boat, but the crews that looked good on paper the night before could never beat their second-seeded rivals, and the number-two boat had an uncanny knack of winning.

With the first race against M.I.T. three short days away, Love again saw his favorites lose, and it was not until the day before that he managed to pick a crew which could defend its right to race Tech. So with only two days of practice, one granted by fate when the race was postponed to Monday, the crew was not a perfect unit, and lost by two lengths.

Newly-Picked Boat Loses

A shake-up after the race brought Charlie Chace down from number six to the stroke slide which his brother Spike filled on the Varsity a few years ago. This combination raised the hopes of all concerned by beating the third Varsity on Wednesday, and even coming close to the Jayvees. But newly-elected Captain Chace was not to avenge the earlier defeat when the Yardlings went the mile and three-quarters last Saturday against M. I. T. The Techmen won handily, leaving Harvard second place. A lot of the gloom conjured up by the two losses was dispelled when comparison of the times revealed that Tech's Freshman wonder-crew had beaten the time of its own Varsity, and was "just plain good," as the Yardlings put it.

The boat which lost Saturday is still intact, and rows as follows: Herb Church, bow, Nick Biddle 2, Ben Smith 3, Mickey Michalis 4, Scho Andrews 5, Dick Ober 6, Dave Sohier 7, Charlie Chace stroke, and Norm Stearns cox. This combination according to Coach Love, has come a long way in the last week, and is still improving fast.

Men in that first boat cannot be too sure of their seats, though, as a lot of water will go down the Charles before the New London boat is picked, and three weeks remain before the next race, which features Cornell and Syracuse.

In that time, Coach Love plans to start the old shuffling game again in hopes that he can whip together the best possible crew to face the big Red, and finally the Elis. So when we next hear from the Yardlings, the picture may be completely changed.

150's Race Saturday

Untroubled by the problem of boating, but with less time to work on his charges, is 150-pound Coach Bert Haines, whose Freshman boat lines up against Yale and Princeton in the Goldthwaite Cup series this Saturday. Confident because of the open water which separated them from M. I. T. last Saturday, the 150's have no measure of their opponents' strength, as they have raced no common rival.

Following the race on Saturday, the Yardling lightweights plan to enter the American Rowing Association Regatta for 150-pound crews, which comes off a week from next Saturday. The boat which will start against Yale and Princeton is as follows: Snell Robinson bow, Haskell Schell 2, Dick Moot 3, John Ellison 4, Armiger Jagos 5, Locke 6, Francis Cunningham stroke, and Albert Olsen cox.