Varsity Wrestlers Travel to Lawrence, Enter AAU Tournament for First Time

Harvard's varsity wrestlers, off to a strong start this season, will compete for the first time in the 12th annual N.E.A.A.U. wrestling tournament starting at 2 p.m. today in Lawrence.

In the past, a few selected Harvard wrestlers have entered this tournament, but never has the entire Crimson team done so. The freshman squad will accompany the varsity making 25 in the Harvard contingent.

Among the other colleges and clubs sending a number of men will be the NYAC and Springfield, both of which field strong wrestling teams year after year. There will probably be about 100 competitors in all.

Coach John Lee said it is impossible to predict how well the Crimson will do, but said he is pleased with this year's team, led by Paul Catinella, Danny Naylor, and sophomore star Tom Tripp. Lee said he has no way of knowing how many other good wrestlers will be entering the tournament, and has no idea how the Crimson matmen will stand up under the large number of matches they must complete to do well. He said he is mainly concerned that his team does a lot of wrestling with good opponents, whether or not they win.

For a grappler to be eliminated, he must lose two matches, which greatly increases the amount of wrestling each individual must do. Some competitors will have as many as six matches, and perhaps more if his weight class is crowded.

The fact that everyone will see lots of action appeals to Lee. Though each match is nine minutes long rather than eight, one match is equivalent to about a six-minute college bout because the clock runs continuously.

Every member of the varsity, which won its one meet of the season, 23-15, over Franklin & Marshall last week, will wrestle in at least one of four open tournaments during Christmas vacation. The tournaments are at C. W. Post College on Long Island, M.I.T., Wilkes College in Pennsylvania and at a high school in LaGrange, Illinois.