Lining Them Up

In November of 1948 a former champion Big Ten heavyweight named Butch Jordan starled teaching the arm drag and the Oklahoma, the leg dive and the crucifix to interested Harvard wrestlers. Jordan had an adequate team that year--he had some good wrestlers and some who were inexperienced but looked as if they might come along given a season under Jordan. This year, these men have shown vast improvement; throw in a couple of holdovers from last season, an outstanding sophomore and, no doubt about it, Jordan has the makings of a very strong wrestling team.

Jordan's outfit has won easily in its only two matches--24 to 7 over MIT and 17 to 11 over Brown. It should be recorded that Brown had wrestled, and tied, Army at West Point on a Saturday and travelled to Cambridge the following Wednesday, but Harvard would almost certainly have won anyway.

Neither of these teams has provided a real test and Harvard is not likely to run into stiff opposition until late this month. BU (next Wednesday) as comparatively weak and Brown's showing against Army would give Harvard the edge at West Point next Saturday. After that come Columbia, Princeton, and Yale. The Crimson has a good chance of going to Princeton undefeated.

There are naturally weak links in Jordan's present team--they come at 155 and 165, where Butch has been troubled with injuries. Bum knees have forced Roger Wach and Tom Connors into noncombatant roles; the posts will probably be filled by two men chosen from among Charlie Keith, a capable 165er, Andre Sigourney, Neil Hastie, and Dick Edelman. Sigourney is good but not in shape, Hastie and Edelman are sophomores.

The rest of the lineup varies from good to terrific. The much-improved athletes are Joe Kozol and Bob Abboud, at 121 and 128. The men who were very good last year and are very good this year are Dave Smith and Captain Bob Claflin, at 136 and 175. The brilliant sophomore is Al Sawyer, 145.

Kozol and Abboud have profited immensely from their last year's experience. The latter, especially, is more aggressive, more sharp. Smith, who can compete anywhere from 136 to 155, has not been put to any severe test this season and as a result hasn't fully realized his potentialities. Jordan is counting on him for some of the exhibitions that made him an outstanding wrestler, and a fine showman, last year. Clafin is a dependable light-heavy; he seldom pins but he usually wins. Sawyer is an exceptional competitor and it will take a good man to beat him.

Which leaves only the heavyweight job unfilled. Last year Jordan gave the assignment to Howie Houston and that was that. This winter he has used Claflin and Larry Johansen at heavy but Claflin is more effective at 175 and Johansen recently broke a bone in his hand. Now Butch is depending on Will Davis, who should fill the bill admirably once he sharpens up his timing.

The schedule has not been a help to Jordan. After the MIT opener came the Christmas recess; after the Brown match, when his squad was "high," came the exam period layoff. The coach must now go about building up enthusiasm and interest again.

Jordan himself has developed as a coach of wrestling. He was a bit unsure of himself last year; now he knows just how far he can go as far as having men make weight is concerned, which is almost as far as he wants. He has more self-confidence now, and he is doing a fine job.