Crew

When both of Tom Bolles' eights swept across the finish line better than four lengths ahead of Yale on the Charles Saturday, the Crimson's first formal season of racing since 1943 was automatically insured against being labelled a flop. Now, no matter what happens in the forthcoming regatta on Lake Washington June 22, and despite what was at best a spotty record before the Eli race, the big question that makes the difference in any Harvard athletics--"did you beat Yale?"-- will have the right answer.

But before the oarsmen could register their eighth consecutive sweep of the Blue crews (a streak unequalled in the history of the event) they had some tough going.

After getting out of the tanks and onto the river March 11, the Varsity crew spent a hectic two months trying to fit the right man in the right seat for the quadrangular race against Cornell, Princeton, and M.I.T. on May 4. Stroked by Lou Cox, who replaced be-measled Toby Ross two days before the meet, the Varsity boat finished strongly, with enough of a kick to catch Princeton in the last half mile but not enough power to head a strong Cornell eight; M.I.T. finished last. On the same day, the Jayvees were nosed by Princeton and Bert Haines' 150's and Jayvee 150's finished one-two against M.I.T. and Tabor Academy.

During the next week of preparation for the Annapolis race Boon Chanler was elected captain and the spectre of measles and fevers of unidentified origin continued to make life miserable for Bolles. The two heavy crews he sent to Annapolis had collectively lost four men more before they ever reached the starting line. With the dice loaded against them, the Varsity boat brought up the tail end in the nine-way regatta (won by Wisconsin) and suffered the ignominy of trailing both M.I.T. and Princeton, their meat of a week before. In their race, the Jayvees did a little better, finishing seventh in the field, while at Cambridge the stay-at-home 150's walked away from Princeton, Cornell, Pennsylvania, and M.I.T.

A week later against Tech, in their last tests before the Yale race, the three crews rendered a reasonably exact facsimile of the previous Saturday's Annapolis doings.

Track

Viewed from any angle, the Crimson's spring track season cannot be called anything but great. Jaakko Mikkola's charges competed in five meets and ran away with all but one of them. And Yale was three times included in their list of victims.

The first two meets, on April 20 and 27, saw the Mikkolamen smother first Tufts and Connecticut, and then Rhode Island and Holy Cross. By grabbing most of the win, place, and show monies, the Crimson copped 216 1/6 of a possible 325 points for the two contests. The Fisher boys, Jack and Willo, started their hegemony over the weight events, finishing one-two and two-one in the hammer throw on the two successive Saturdays. Jack Hunter, high and low hurdle artist, was elected captain just after the first meet.

Next to get involved with the high-flying cindermen was an unfortunate team from New Haven called Yale. By the simple process of winning 11 of the 15 first places, the Crimson dumped the Blue 81 2/3 to 53 1/3. Bob Clark had an afternoon for himself, winning the 440 and 220, as did Bill Jackson, who copped the shot put and discus.

A week later the squad journeyed to Hanover for the Quadrangular Meet, and although things were a little tighter this time, Dartmouth (by two points), Penn, and Yale fell before the Crimson.

Lacrosse

Starting short on experienced players, Coach Bob Maddux's stick-wielding lacrossemen had a spotty season, winning one of four Varsity contests and taking half of their six Jayvee battles. M.I.T. provided the squad's lone victory, but this was sandwiched in between defeats by Tufts, Dartmouth, and Williams.

Tennis

Only two intercollegiate matches marked the roster of the tennis team's first post-war season; Dartmouth whitewashed the Crimson squad 9-0 at Hanover, while Tufts bowed 3-0 in a match that was unfinished because of rain. An asertment of five nearby prep and high schools were taken over by the Crimson racquetmen during the season.