Dartmouth Takes Harriers 27-30; Slippery Course Bothers Teams

Pounding a wet, slippery Hanover course, the varsity cross country squad lost yesterday to favored Dartmouth by the narrow margin of 27 to 30.

Crimson ace Jed Fitzgerald showed no signs of the leg injury that kept him from practice this week as he ran a close second to undefeated Dartmouth star Tom Larris.

The race was a discouraging study in might-have-beens for the Crimson harriers, whose depth potential showed through even in defeat. Mark Mullin placed fourth just behind Nick Jennison of Dartmouth, with the next Harvard runners, Perry, Hildreth, Baldwin, Slansky, and Benjamin finishing in seventh to eleventh positions. Hallagan and Tompkins of Dartmouth provided the Green with its margin of victory by running fifth and sixth.

Fitzgerald's leg condition had made it seem unlikely that he would do well today; a second place under these condition gives promise of a tough Crimson team later in the season. The unexpectedly poor eleventh showing of Jack Benjamin may have been due to the same cold that bothered him during this week's practice sessions. Several other Crimson standbys turned in unusually slow times.

Both Larris and Jennison of Dartmouth lived up to pre-match reports. Sophomore Larris is clearly in a class of his own, as yesterday's results and those of his race against Brown indicate.

Although the Crimson's fifth man, Baldwin, crossed the tape before Dartmouth's fifth runner, the Indians had taken enough key front and middle positions to win by three points for their first victory over the Crimson harriers since 1951.

The Freshman squad lost to the Green 25 to 30, although Harvard captain Ed Hamlin placed first. His teammates gave him meager support, as Dartmouth runners took second, third, and fourth positions.

In both the varsity and Freshman performances, the Crimson failed to win either the middle positions or dominate the top. Although Fitzgerald and Mullin ran well, they were not supported.

In the triangular meet next week with Yale and Princeton, the Crimson will be the underdog. A strong Yale team is favored to retain its Ivy League cross country crown.