Crimson Will Face Cornell In Heptagonal Track Meet

Although the varsity track team has upset predictions with monotonous regularity for the past several years, only the intervention of one of the favorable gods will enable it to win its third straight Heptagonal title this afternoon from Cornell at Ithaca.

For this afternoon, there just aren't enough of those Crimson darkhorses who continually perform above their capabilities and upset the dope. Ed Martin, figured for fifth in the mile, but expected to finish higher, is out with a damaged Achilles tendon, and Dyke Benjamin, in the same category in the two mile, has pulled his gastrocnemic muscle, that large, practically invulnerable muscle of the calf, and this will keep him out of action.

Not that Cornell has more than its share of super-stars. It hasn't. The Big Red is favored to take four events, the same number as the varsity, but it is the all-important lesser places which will tip the meet in Cornell's favor.

Bo Roberson is favored in two events for Cornell--the broad jump and the dash. Mike Midler in the mile and John King in the high jump are the other two Big Red favorites.

Three Team Members Favored

For the varsity, Joel Landau, who last week set a new Harvard record of :07.3 in the IC4A meet, is an odds-on choice in his specialty, as is French Anderson in the 600. Captain Pete Reider, limited to only one race because of the unfavorable time schedule, should win the two-mile crown.

John DuMoulin and Jim Doty will place for the varsity behind Army's Ed Bagdonas, while Doty should finish anywhere from fifth up in the shot. John deKiewiet and Bob Downs are grouped with a host of others who will fight for a place behind King in the broad jump, while Downs and Pat Liles should place in the broad jump.

Art Cahn, in the 1000, and Sandy Dodge in the dash, are two who could upset the pre-meet dope and add valuable points for the Crimson.

In the relays, none of the teams in the league have the manpower to take both, and if any team could conceivably win both, it is the Crimson. Its best bet is the mile relay, where coach Bill McCurdy could shoot his ponies for a sure win, or do it the hard way with two of his untried sophomores.

For the two-mile, his best quartet would have Anderson anchoring for three from Dave Spinney, Dave, Brahms, Bill Thompson, Gordon, or Cahn. The only certainty in the relay picture is that whichever relay Anderson anchors will be the strongest one for the Crimson.