Spurred on by the threat of losing their coach, and in honor of his anniversary, not to mention the motivation of getting even with "those farmers," the Harvard men's cross-country team defeated the Big Green, 23-32, yesterday afternoon in Hanover, N.H.

"The race was a nice present for the old man [coach Bill McCurdy]. It was his 64th birthday," captain Mark Meyer said after the meet. "Besides, he said that if we lost today he'd jump off the ski lift," Meyer added.

Well, Harvard still has a coach for the thinciads, as the Herd swept 2,3,4 and 5 on their way to the team's first victory over Dartmouth in three years. Once again the senior trio of Meyer, Ed Sheehan and Peter Fitzsimmons showed the way as they led the scoring.

Sheehan and Fitzsimmons tied for second at 29:22, behind Dartmouth's sophomore sensation Art Switchenko, who complete the exceptionally hilly course in 28:57, just ten seconds shy of the record which he set fleeing from all-Americans Bruce Bickford and the Flora twins in a meet with Northeastern last year.

Meyer came home in 29:27, followed by sophomore John Murphy. The final Harvard scorer, Thad McNulty, placed ninth, recording a time of 30:34. Other Crimson entrants, Peter Johnson, Guy McRoskey, John Chafee and John Sneath, ended up 13th, 16th, 18th, and 19th, respectively.

Dartmouth broke out quickly, rather than lying in the weeds until the giant hill at the four-mile mark and passing their competition. At the end of the first mile, the Herd was in trouble as green jerseys predominated in the front of the pack.

Ciaban, Dartmouth's second man, died after that quick first mile, and the Harvard bunch moved up. By the 2 1/2 mile point at the first of two creeks that the runner had to wade through, the Crimson was in the driver's seat, controlling positions two through four.

Meanwhile, John Murphy, who had dropped way behind the leaders, began to gradually make his way through the crowd. When the harriers reached the enormous hill, which doubles as a ski jump in the off-season, the field had spread out into its final configuration.

"There was no funny business this time," Meyer said. "Dartmouth just realized their fate."

And the rampage continues...