Two and a half weeks remain in the track team's indoor schedule and in these 18 days the Crimson will compete in the two meets it has been preparing for since November--the Yale-Princeton triangular, and the Heptagonals.

Up to now, the varsity's record has been impressive. The Crimson has won two out of its three dual meets, and in the B.A.A. Games the mile relay set a new Harvard record for the distance, an excellent 8:20.5.

But some unforeseen hard luck, including an injury to his star, Bob Rittenburg, has not given Coach Bill McCurdy a chance to be too optimistic about his team's chances in the two "big" meets, Monday, and March 6.

Before the season started, McCurdy saw a very bright future for his team. Besides Rittenburg, the best hurdler and broad jumper in the Ivy League, he had a nucleus of promising men coming up from last year's unbeaten freshman team, and a host of veterans from last spring's third place Heptagonal finisher.

As the season progressed, however, his promising future slowly began to disintegrate. First, Rittenburg suffered a heel injury which has kept him out of action for almost two months. There is a chance he will run against the Big Three foes Monday, but McCurdy does not think he will be in top form.

Nucleus Lost

"He could ordinarily beat Yale and Princeton 'running backwards,'" McCurdy said. "But with his bad foot, it may be close."

Then the nucleus of freshmen from '56's undefeated team exploded in hi face. Al Willis, last year's Yardling captain, who had run a 4:25.9 mile against the Eli freshmen indoors, ran into a solid wall of labs, and has not been able to reach his old form. Except for Wills, there is no one on the team who can break 4:30.

Norm Bruck, a potential ten-second sprinter as a freshman, is laid up with his foot in a cast. Bob Morrison, a strong quarter miler, is out ill, and other members of the undefeated freshman team have just not worked out conscientiously.

Still Hope

The outlook is not entirely bleak, however. McCurdy has two of the best distance men in the Ivy League, and he has a number of strong middle-distance men who may score points in the coming meets. The team is also fairly strong in certain field events.

At the start of the campaign, McCurdy was counting on yeoman work from cross-country captain Hal Gerry. Gerry, who was second in last year's Heps, has not disappointed his coach. He has run consistently well in either the mile or two-mile distance and his teammate, Hubie Maguire, has improved tremendously since the start of the season. Last Saturday Maguire broke the Dartmouth indoor record for the two-mile distance, edging Gerry with a 9:51.3. .

The Crimson's mile relay of Captain Jack Richards, Alan Howe, Renny Little, and Dave Alpers is the strongest in the Ivy League, and each runner individually can be counted on for possible points.

Alpers, one of the sophomores who have come through, has tremendous potential. Running with a bad foot on Saturday, he turned i a good 1:13.8 for the 600 yard run, and McCurdy believes that he can cut that time down.

Howe and Little are principally quarter milers, but they can also cover the longer 600. Richards is the man McCurdy is counting on in the 1000 yard run. He won Saturday with a fair 2:20.6.

In the dashes, Pete Dow, second in the outdoor IC4-A last spring, leads Charlie Arena, Ed Carter, and Herb Collins. The Crimson is not particularly strong in this event, mainly because Dow runs better outdoors.

With Rittenburg a doubtful performer, a lot of responsibility has been thrown on the shoulders of hurdlers Paul Rosenthal and Lee Hurd. Collins and Terry Cheek are taking over his job of broad jumping.

Carl Goldman, with a good record as a weight thrower all season should collect a few points before the season is over. Art Siler has looked good in the shot put, and may pick up a place in the next two weeks.

The best pole vaulter on the team was Kip Smith before he injured himself, but he is expected to be back in action shortly. Don Richards has also been doing a good job on the high bar.

In the high jump, McCurdy has two men who can clear six feet, Bob Blake and Brian Reynolds.

For his two-mile relay and one-mile run, McCurdy has to pick from Frank Nahigian, Cal Perkins, Don French, and Phil Meyers. There is also the chance that one or two of the quarter milers might double up for the two-mile relay.

The track team announced last night that it has been invited to compete in the Milwaukee Journal Indoor Games on the night of March 13. The Crimson will probably enter the mite quartet of Captain Jack Richards, Alan Howe, Renny Little, and Dave Alpers. If he is in shape, Bob Rittenburg will also enter the high hurdles.