Eleven Elects Nichols To Captain '52 Varsity

John Doane Nichols 53, of Westport, Connecticut, and Eliot House, was elected captain of the 1952 varsity football team yesterday at a meeting of 1951 lettermen in Dillon Field House.

At the same time, fullback Thomas Ossman '52, of Rockville Centre, New York, and the Varsity Club, was voted the Frederick Greeley Crocker Award, given annually to the team's most valuable player.

Varsity manager John Kelso '53, of Westport, Connecticut, and Eliot House, moved up to undergraduate manager of football: Francis Millet '54, of Chappaqua. New York, and Claverly Hall, became varsity manager; and John Chatfield '55, of Cincinnati and Massachusetts Hall, won the freshman managerial competition.

Always a Lineman

Nichols, the 220-pound wearer of number 77, was the Crimson's top offensive and defensive lineman throughout the 1951 season. Possessing the build and speed of a good a tackle, Nichols has always played at that position at Montelair, New Jersey, High School, on the 1947 New England Championship football team at Loomis School, and at Harvard.

Nichols was number one right tackle on the 1949 Harvard freshman football team, of which Stan Britton was captain, and moved onto the varsity as a sophomore last year.

In 1950 Nichols alternated at tackle with Hank Toepke, Duke Sedgwick, Bob Stargel, and Nick Culolias, but in 1951 he started every game.

"Nichols is a fine offensive tackle and has developed very well as a defensive tackle," Coach Lloyd Jordan said after the election. "He hasn't missed a spring or fall practice since our coaching staff has been here. He should be an excellent team leader."

"John's in a fine position," added 1951 captain Warren Wylle. "He should be leading a very successful squad next season." Wylie expressed pleasure at the choice. "He's very will liked--the type of guy who's a leader on or off the field. It was a well-deserved selection."

Senior Tom Ossman is the third recipient of the Crocker plaque, established by a group of former Harvard football players in honor of the 1933 Crimson end who was killed while serving on a destroyer in 1944. Last year it was won by Captain Phil Isenberg