Swim Season Starts with Splash; Crimson Tops Springfield, 55-40

Despite a choppy, 20-yard pool and a determined opposition, the varsity swimming team scored an easy, 55-40 victory over Springfield College yesterday in the season's first meet. Sophomores Neville Hayes and Bob Corris paced the Crimson, breaking one national and two pool records between them.

Harvard won only six of the eleven events and finished first and second in only three races, but Coach Bill Brooks was pleased with the results. At least three of the losses were probably due to the 20-yard pool, a distance seldom encountered in collegiate swimming.

Hayes's national and pool records came in the 200-yard butterfly, which he did in 2:01.0. Though only a record for 20-yard pools, the time was significant because the old mark was held by Bill Yorzyk of Springfield who won a gold medal in the 1956 Olympics. Al Rose, last year's freshman captain, was second in the Crimson sweep.

Corris Leads Sweep

Corris led teammate Bruce Fowler to a sweep of the 200-yard breaststroke, setting a pool record of 2:21.4. Corris, the only double winner for the varsity, also took a first in the individual medley.

Captain Dave Abramson and Hayes combined to score the other Crimson sweep in the 500-yard freestyle. Other Harvard winners were Al Lincoin in the backstroke and the medley relay team of Al Singleton (backstroke), Fowler (breaststroke), Rose (butterfly), and Ed Klaussmann (freestyle). Andrew Grinstead took second in the 50 and the 100 freestyles, and Jim Seubold narrowly missed victory in the 200 free.

In addition to the shorter freestyle races, Springfield took the freestyle relay and the low-board diving. Harvard diving ace Dan Mahoney stayed home to prepare for the high dive against Army on Saturday.

Freshman Defeated

The freshman team suffered a 56-39 defeat by the Maroons. But Bill Shrout set pool records in the 100- and 200-yard freestyles with very good times of 48.9 and 1:51, respectively.

The varsity's easy victory may be the last smooth sailing for the mermen for a long time. After Saturday's Army meet at West Point, they have to face Navy on December 12. The service teams beat the Crimson last year by identical scores of 57-38 and both are perennially rated among the top in the East.