Coach Hal Ulen's "Poor Man's Champions"--the Crimson swimmers--open their annual campaign for possession of second place in the Eastern League at 2:00 p.m. today at Springfield. The meet, a non-League affair, is the first on a ten-meet schedule.

In the last two years, the varsity has piled up 18 out of 20 victories and twice gain second place in the Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming League. Both defeats were inflicted by Yale's invincible.

But Ulen expresses some doubt about the team's ability to repeat this showing for 1952-53, and some grave worries about the opening meet with the Maroons. Springfield's 20-yard pool--five yards shorter than the pool here--combined with the fact that Springfield has two finalist from last year's National Swimming Competitions, make this what Ulen terms "an unusually tough opening meet."

Breast-stroker Bill Yorck is a potential 15-point man, in the breast, 220, and 440 yard freestyle events. Sophomore John Mayers, a National finalist at the backstroke, will, according to Ulen, give back-stroker Don Mulvey "some trouble."

Probably the strong point of the squad is in the sprints. Captain Ron Huebsch, Dave Heberg, and John McNamara--all seniors with two years of varsity competition--will appear in the 50 and 100-yard dashes and the 440-yard relay.

Sophomore Ted Whatley and junior Marv Sandler will swim the distance events today. Pete Dillingham at the div and Ken Emerson and Ralph Zani at the breast stroke finish the opening lineup.