Amid the smokey blaze of crowded Boston Garden. Harvard's established track stars and a group of fast-developing freshmen performed well against top New England and in some cases, international competition in the 44th annual Knights of Columbus Games Saturday night.

But the Crimson, who copped six first places in last year's meet could only produce two winners and barely missed grabbing a third. Due to the graduation of its high-scoring weight crew and the absence of long jumper Skip Hare. Harvard failed to notch a point in the field events. However, Crimson runners John Gillis and captain Keith Colburn duplicated their efforts of a year ago while freshman Dave Eliot raced to a first-place finish in the half-mile.

Gillis, Harvard's top quarter-miler, repeated as champion in the Farrell 500 in a time of 58.8. He had to hold off a strong finishing kick by B. C.'s Mark Murray, who had challenged him similarly last year.

Czech Competition

In the Cardinal Cushing 1000. one of the night's exciting races. Colburn was nipped at the tape by the European champion, Joseph Plachy of Czechoslovakia. Colburn had taken the lead with two laps to go and seemed to be headed for his first trophy victory but Plachy overcame a three-yard deficit, leaving Colburn in the number two spot for the second straight year. Colburn's time was an excellent 2.09.9.

Harvard's other varsity runners did not fare as well. Milers Roy Shaw and John Heyburn failed to place in either of their races, and both relay teams could not keep pace with their opposition.

However. Yardling Dave Eliot defeat his varsity competition in the Carl Joyce 880-yard run, leading all the way with a time of 1.55.7. Sparked by the 49.8. leg of Time D'Acci, the freshman mile-relay team of Dave Anderson, John Quirk, Bob Clayton and D'Acci won easily in 3.26.3.