Fast, Spirited Yard Track Team Heads Toward Undefeated Year

The recent tendency of many Crimson teams to fall from the undefeated columns hasn't hit the freshman track squad yet, and it probably won't. Coach Al Wilson's last, spirited team has only Princeton, an unknown quantity--and Yale, an underdog, between it and an unblemished indoor record. And it's going strong.

Last year's Yardling squad also went into the indoor Yale meet unbeaten, and came out with its record spoiled. The possibility of an unbeaten season loomed in outdoor events, only to have the Elis knock that over, too.

But Wilson doesn't look for a repeat. "This is one of the most spirited teams I've seen," he says. "They won't go into the Yale meet overconfident no matter what the results point to."

The only comparative scores there are augur an overwhelming victory for the Crimson. Andover, which had previously muzzled the little Bulldogs, was trampled, 18 to 30, by the Yardlings.

Although his team is made up of fine performers, Wilson hesitates to lay the burden of praise on a few individuals. "They're all good men to have around--really a blanced team," he says.

Captain Al Wills, who also led the Yardlings in cross-country last fall, is a firstrate miler and a standout in all the distances. Wilson complains that he hasn't been getting enough competition in his special event: "If they'd start pushing him in that mile, Wills would turn in some really terrific times. Now, it's too easy for him to win."

Sure winner in the sprints is Norm Bruck, a consistent star in the dash. Running even with or better than the varsity times, he ran well in the invitation meets at the Garden earlier this year.

Dave Alpers--Wilson calls him "another crackerjack"--and Bob Morrison force each other to better and better times in the 600. Alpers is ahead now, with 1:15.4 against Morrison's 1:15.6. Morrison lost his appendix just before the season opened, but bounced back to win an NAAU varsity title at the Providence games.

Terry Cheek is the team's virtuoso in the weights and distances. Against Dartmouth last Saturday, he won the shot put and broad jump, and tied for third in the high jump. Bob Blake is the squad's real high jump star with an excellent freshman mark of 6 feet 2 inches.

Kip Smith, out temporarily with a cast around his ankle, will be back in time for the pole vault in the Yale meet, and he has cleared 11 feet.

Ed Carter helps the team out on the hurdles and the dash, and starts the mile relay. In the individual mile Norm Hartness, Ken Wilson, and Wills all run well, and have all broken 4:50.

In the weights Bob Keith, Wynn Smith, and Orville Tice look promising to Wilson. He also has hopes for Don French and Tom Kent, both running in the 1000. "They should both be very good in the half-mile when we get outdoors," he said.

The freshman track team is Wilson's first full-time coaching assignment, although he supervised wrestling at the Perkins Institute for the Blind, and taught the fundamentals of football, basketball, and baseball at the Park hurts School.