Hartford Win Lifts Hopes Of Coach Rene Peroy's Fencers

Encouraged by last Saturday's 16 to 11 victory over the strong Hartford Fencing Club, Coach Rene Peroy's charges are hopeful of one of the best years in Harvard fencing history. Although the team had displayed great promise in its earlier wins over Brown and Bowdoin, the Hartford meet was the first real test of the year.

While all three divisions are considered strong, it was in the opee class that the largest advantage, 7 to 2, was obtained over Hartford. The foil and sabre divisions each won by 5 to 4 margins.

Epee Men Strong

Amos Murphy, gigantic Sophomore, former Connecticut Interscholastic Champion, came through to prove his Freshman record last year was no fluke. Another Sophomore from whom great things are expected is Lyn Brua.

Two Juniors, Bill Croach and Hal Park, are also expert wielders of the epee. Croach has now recovered from the injuries to his hand and ankle which handicapped him earlier in the season.

Batchelder Stars with Sabre

In the sabre section, Captain "Skip" Batchelder and another Senior, Joe Doyle, are vying with three Sophomores for starting posts. Tom Wright, whose record in the competitions sponsored by the Amateur Fencing League of America is outstanding, won handily in his matches against Hartford. Bob Batt and Wyn Alberts are the other leading second-year men.

Two other members of last year's famed Freshman squad are very proficient in handling the foil, a weapon formerly used only in practice. Small southpaw, Art Jarros is a wiry, energetic fencer. The other, boasting a high AFLA ranking, is Ben Johnson.

Jones, Labastie Veteran Follmen

Cranston Jones and Al Labastie, seasoned fencers, defeated two foes each last Saturday. Jones had experience at Andover before entering Harvard, while Labastie won the Novice AFLA Foil crown this fall. Both men are Juniors. The foil squad will be strengthened shortly with the return of Scott Long Manager of the team, who has been unable to appear in the early meets.

The climax of the schedule, longest in Harvard fencing annals, will be the Yale meet March 18. On comparative scores, the Crimson will be heavy favorites to avenge the defeats of the past two years, since Hartford triumphed over the Elis earlier in the year. There will also be a J.V. contest, the first in Crimson-Blue history.

Hard Schedule Ahead

In the meantime, two meets a week have been carded, with the Pentagonal Meet at Annapolis on March 4, and the Intercollegiate in New York on March 31 and April 1 as main events. Army, Navy, Yale, and Princeton will furnish the opposition at the former; the latter will be open to all leading colleges.

After the St. Johns meet this Saturday, N.Y.U., Columbia, and the New York Fencing Club will remain as major foes.