The Harvard track team has clobbered Princeton and Yale in the Big Three Meet for the past five years. But this time it's different. The Elis are strong and the Tigers are greatly improved. The Crimson may find itself fighting for its life by relay-time at New Haven tomorrow.

The running events look like a tossup. Harvard should take the two-mile with Doug Hardin and Jim Baker, and the 1000 with Tom Callahan and Trey Burns. Yale should win the mile with Steve. Bittner and the dash with Rich Robinson.

Harvard's 600-flash Dave McKelvey may meet his match in the Elis' Mark Young. That should be a close one. Another close one is the hurdles, where all three squads are very weak.

The Crimson does, however, have fine depth in all these running events, and since the meet is scored on the basis of four places instead of the usual three, Harvard has an edge. Also, Princeton has Alan Andrini in the mile and Jack Endrikat in the 1000--both of whom could pull off victories to upset matters a little.

Field events are just as tight. The Crimson is completely outclassed in the broad jump and high jump, and the battle in both of these should be between Yale and Princeton.

The pole vault could be very close and very high. Steve Schoonover just can't quite seem to be able to clear 15 ft. He will fight it out up there on the ceiling with two Princeton men who have cleared 14 ft. 6 in. Yale has nothing.

But the Elis should take the shot with football and track captain Bob Greenlee at 54 ft. Harvard has a pack of 52-53 men --Carter Lord, Bob Benka, Charlie Ajootian, and Bruce Hedendal -- so the bottom three places will be easy for the Crimson.

The weight is all Crimson. Ron Wilson and Ajootian should cop first and second and a sweep is conceivable.

If the events are as tight in the field house as they are on paper, things will be settled in the relays, the final two events of the meet. Harvard has one of the top two-mile relay squads in the nation, and neither of the other two teams can touch it.

But the mile relay is another story. No one can catch Yale's Mark Young, who will probably anchor the Elis' quartet. If Young is ready to go, and if the whole meet rides on the mile relay, it will mean trouble.