The varsity track team is working for an undefeated season this year, and the chances seem good that it will have one. Boasting strength and depth in the field events and in track races from the 330 up, the squad is clearly the best in recent years, and potentially the best in Harvard's history.
"I think we could develop into the strongest team Harvard's ever had," Fred Howard, the team captain, says. Howard, currently sporting a suntan as a result of the team's spring training trip to Puerto Rico, ran the half-mile in 1:52.0 last year to set the University record. He is one of four team members currently holding Harvard records. "Right now, we're a good team," he noted. "But with sufficient teamwork, we could become far more effective."
Whether or not the track team will develop its potential remains to be seen, but there are encouraging signs. Injuries and sickness, which have in recent years hurt the team seriously, have improved, rather than developed, so far this spring. During the winter, hopes for a good outdoor season were dimmed with the injury of the versatile Tom Blodgett, who pulled a thigh muscle at the Army meet last February. Blodgett can be, at various times, the team's best hurdler, broad jumper pole valuter and javelin thrower, and the squad is tremendously dependent upon him. Reports that Blodgett had recovered were confirmed in the outdoor Army meet Saturday. When he collected four firsts in five events.
Another question mark at the start of the season was Mark Mullin, holder of the University record for the mile at 4:10.6. Mullin was sick for the indoor Yale meet, and this was one of the key factors in the Crimson loss. He ran strongly against Army, however, winning the mile easily in 4:15.9.
For the members of the team, there is no question that this year's big opponent will be Yale. Yale is building up its team to be the best in the east; the Bulldogs beat a weakened indoor Crimson squad earlier this year. "We can beat them outdoors," commented one runner. "But it's going to be a lot of sweat all the way."
Sweat is something Crimson coach Bill McCurdy approves of. McCurdy, a lean, crewcut man, prides himself in his fitness. "You've always got to watch out for him," said one team member. "He's incredible, he's likely to run a 54 second quarter against you, just to make you feel funny. And he can beat any man on the team in calisthenics."
Probably the greatest strength of McCurdy's team lies in the field, where the Crimson is weak in only one event, the high jump. In the shot put, there are three good men--Rick DeLone (the Harvard record holder at 53 ft., 9 in.), Sarge Nichols, and Steve Cohen. The hammer is equally strong, with University record holder Stan Doten (197 ft., 11 in.), Ted Bailey, and Roger Wilson, all of whom could potentially throw over 200 feet this year.
Top man in the discus is John Bronstein, who should better the 160-foot mark again this year. Doten should also pick up some points in the event.
The broad jump should be a good event for the Crimson, which can point to four men who have jumped over 23 feet. Along with Blodgett in this event are Marty Beckwith,
Azikiwe is also an excellent hop, The pole vault and javelin throw The sprints, the prospects are
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