Encounter With Dartmouth Tomorrow Presents First Big Obstacle for Mermen

One of the season's most formidable obstacles to Captain Eric Cutler and his Crimson swimmers will present itself at Hanover tomorrow when the Dartmouth tankmen seek to shatter Hal Ulen's unbroken record of victories over them.

Although the Indians will compete without the services of last year's stars, Wayne Shrodes, Irving Stein, and Julian Armstrong, the team has been greatly reinforced by last year's Freshmen, backstroker Jim O'Mara, sprinters Bill Stegner, Kelley Wehnes, and George Liskow, and breastroker Jud Mulally. Old standbys Art Ostrander in the middle distances and Captain Paul Dyer in the dive are also expected to earn points for the Green.

The main problem Coach Ulen faces at Hanover is a strategic one. Most of the men who will bear the brunt of Dartmouth's sprint attack are unknown but reputedly potent quantities; hence the Crimson mentor, somewhat short in top-notch 50 and 100 men, must conserve swimmers of the calibre of Art Bosworth, Frannie Powers. Jim Curwon, and Cutler all of whom are men-of-all-work in the free-style races.

Against the Indians Bossle is a very important man, since Harvard's backstroke forces are weakened in the medley relay and in the 150-yard dorsal event without him; at the same time, he can probably swim a 50, 100, or 220 faster just now than anyone on the squad. So Hal must place his big guns (Bosworth plus the above-mentioned gentlemen) rather carefully to insure maximum point production.

Dyer is favored to take the dive against George Dana and Chet Sagenkahn, and he should be better still if he's learned the trick of highboard diving in only eight and one-half feet of water. There have been reports that a one-meter contest might be more sensible--it was used two years ago, but the highboard has been designated.

Sandy Houseton, Bill Drucker, Bus Curwen, and Mac McCutcheon will lead the '48 mermen against the Indian Freshmen who although untried, are reputed to be weaker than usual.