For this year's varsity swimming team, tomorrow's meet with Navy will tell the tale. The Crimson journeys to Annapolis weakened by the lack of two ineligible stars and pitted against the strongest team in the Academy's history.

If the varsity can pull out a victory over Navy, the road will be open to challenge Yale in March. If not, with the Crimson having suffered a League loss to Navy, Yale will have an intangible edge.

Navy "Biggest Obstacle"

So far this winter, many eastern swimming observers have taken seriously Harvard's in dual meets since 1945. Crimson coach Bill Brooks has insisted throughout, however, that the varsity's biggest obstacle will be Navy.

Reasons for this include the great strength of the Midshipmen. Both Navy relay teams have so far turned in faster times this winter than the varsity's.

Navy has five top-flight swimmers-Ashley Norfleet, in the free-style; George Worthington in the butterfly; Arnold Kieban in the backstroke; Pat Taft, intercollegiate 100-yard breast stroke champion; and Colonel (sic) Griffin, who last year set the American 200-yard breast stroke record, giving Navy an added versatility in that event. (Griffin has swum the individual medley in 2:12, far ahead of any of the varsity's performers.)

Furthermore, Ward O'Brien has an edge on both Crimson divers, Ric Johnson and Gerry Gleason.

Hunter, Gorman Out of Lineup

The most striking Crimson deficiency is swimming without Bruce Hunter and diving without Frank Gorman. The latter, the best diver in the East, would undoubtedly take first, but cannot com- pete until second semester. Hunter is also ineligible, but is expected to return next term; could he swim, the Crimson would have great strength in the freestyle sprints.

Also, Norris Eisenbrey, another versatile free-style and former National Schoolboy Champion, did not come out for the team this season. He was of immense help in the Yardlings' taking both relays against the Yale freshmen last year.

The meet will be won by superior lineup juggling, at which Coach Brooks is quite skillful. His most potent weapon is Bob Kaufmann, who can swim, and hopefully win, the 50 and 100-yard freestyle, or the 200-yard backstroke, and be the key in either relay.

Coach Brooks said the opening medley relay is crucial; there the only sure swimmers are Doug McCartney in the breast stroke leg of the race and Elizalde in the fly. The only other definite personnel are captain Koni Ulbrich and Fred Cooley in the short, free-style sprints.

Otherwise, the only sure forecast is for a very tough meet, so tough that some hope it will hinge on the final relay. As Brooks told his team in November, it shouldn't think about Yale until the train passes through New Haven Sunday