In the land of the bell weevil everything else may be decadent, but mammy teaches her yung'uns to play the best lacrosse in the world. When Bruce Munro takes a 20-man squad for a six day tour of the South next week it will be only slightly less ambitious than a two-week barnstorming tour of the Big Ten by Lloyd Jordan and fifteen of his football players.
Last year the team tied Stevens Institute, 8 to 8, and then absorbed four straight losses by a combined score of 53 to 12, picking up five injuries in the process.
The schedule this year includes Stevens on Monday; Maryland, ranking sixth in the nation, Tuesday; Virginia, fourth in the nation, Wednesday; Navy, second in the nation, Thursday; and Princeton, first in the nation, on Saturday.
There were a few days earlier in the spring when chances for a respectable showing on the trip seemed very good. But injuries have come thick and fast and all have hit the midfield.
Two Average Lines
Lacrosse midfields are like hockey forward lines. They change about every three minutes and a team needs at least two and should have three strong ones. Munro now has two average midfields and a weak third. For the spring trip Jim Telfer, alternately first and second-string left-hander last year, is questionable because of a knee injury. Albie Wells, a sophomore who had made this year's first string, and Tim Anderson, who had made first center, will also be missing.
The first line is now Dexter Lewis, left, Skip Baldwin, a center moved up from the third line, and John Lane, sophomore attackman playing midfield for the first time. The second line is intact with Karl Bjork, a sophomore, at left, Fred Horween at center, and Todd Goodwin, right. Lewis, Baldwin, and Lane all have goal-getting potential as individuals, but did not look effective as a unit in Saturday's practice game. The second line operated more smoothly, but could not produce any scoring.
Waring Leading Scorer
The third line on the trip will be Telfer, Chuck Edwards, a two-year letterman, and Jack Howard, a converted attackman. Actually, Telfer's knee is so doubtful that Munro can't count too much on this line. As substitutes he is taking along left-hander Dink King and sophomore Fuzzy Stewart.
The defense and attack are exceptionally strong. Phil Waring, the nation's leading scorer with 51 goals last year, Ed Curtis, third in the nation in assists, and Monk Aiello, sixth in assists and 21st in goals, played together all last year at attack and this year, in addition to their year of experience, have substitutes to give them an occasional rest. Frank Davidoff and Lolli Coburn will be making the trip, both high-scoring veterans of last year's Yardling squad.
Strong Defense
All-New Englander Tom Crump, crease, Fred Scharf, right, and John Hartwell, left, make up a stronger defense than the Crimson has seen in at least three years. Crump played practically all of every game last year. He is fast and an exceptional stick-handler for a defenseman. Hartwell, Scharf, and Crump showed up particularly well on clearing Saturday. Paul Jones has played on the varsity for the past two years and will fill in at any defense position. He may play more than either Scharf or Hartwell.
While the outcome of the tour seems grim to say the least, the squad has a chance to again win the New England title, which it last captured in 1951.
