Stephen J. Robbins '05, left, Eliot House Master Lino Pertile, center, and Paul F. Gilligan '05 in History Hall in the Murr Center, receiving the Straus Cup.

Eliot House Intramural (IM) Co-Secretary Stephen J. Robbins ’05 was rewarded for spending the year “running around trying to get people to participate,” as Eliot was awarded the Straus Cup—the crowning achievement of its IM success—at a luncheon held at the Murr Center on Monday.

The first annual Intramural Athlete of the Year Award was also presented to Paul F. Gilligan ’05, the other Eliot IM co-secretary, at the luncheon.

Eliot finished the 2003-2004 intramural season with 1,512.75 points—nearly 200 more than second-place finisher Cabot House, which failed to win the Straus Cup for only the second time in the past 10 years.

The last time that Eliot won the Straus Cup was in 1983, according to Eliot House Master Lino Pertile.

“I’m incredibly proud of what they’ve accomplished. It’s the greatest thing to happen to my House since I’ve been a Master,” said Pertile, who was appointed Eliot Master in 2000. “This shows the power of hard work and dedication.”

Eliot House did not clinch its victory until it won the men’s “A” division crew race in the spring—worth 100 points and viewed by those involved in IM sports as one of the most important events of the year.

Pertile said he even bicycled alongside the river, keeping pace with his House’s four crew teams as a show of support.

But while Robbins said the support was important, he added that a more general concern was simply getting people to show up.

“Trying to get 10 girls to go to a swim meet is one of the hardest things I’ve had to do,” Robbins said.

Gilligan said he and Robbins were aided by those students particularly committed to winning the Straus Cup.

“Even if they said they had a paper to write, if we asked them three times, we’d get them to go out,” Gilligan said.

Director of Intramural Sports Geoffrey N. Spies said Eliot’s participation rate was exceptional.

“Eliot forfeited one event all year—a fall tennis match,” Spies said. “That’s pretty amazing and something to commend in and of itself.”

Gilligan, who in addition to rounding up players said he played in “almost every sport,” was awarded the first annual Intramural Athlete of the Year Award by Spies.

Spies said the award—which will be commemorated on a plaque to be displayed in the lobby of the Malkin Athletic Center (MAC)—was given based on Gilligan’s athletic excellence and success in generating enthusiasm and participation in the intramural program.