Harvard Drops Heps to Army

Harvard's track team suffered a heartbreaking 62-53 loss to Army in the Indoor Heptagonals at Ithaca Saturday, bowing out in the final two events after watching an early meet lead slowly dwindle.

With only the relays left to run in the 21st annual meeting between the Ivy League schools and Army and Navy, Army led Harvard, 52-50.

Harvard could still have edged the defending champions with a victory in the two-mile relay--which the Crimson was expected to win--and a respectable finish in the mile relay.

But the two-mile team of Bob Stempson, Jim Baker, Dave McKelvey, and Roy Shaw was upset by both Army and Princeton, and the Cadets surged ahead by six more points.

Disaster

Then in the mile relay, disaster struck when a dropped baton dropped the Crimson out of the points.

The day wasn't without its bright spots for the Crimson. Doug Hardin was voted the meet's outstanding performer for his 8:56.4 two-mile, which broke the Hep record of 9:05.2 Baker set last year.

Baker himself broke another individual meet record with a 4:07.5 clocking in the mile. Shaw was second.

Steve Schoonover successfully defended his Hep title in the pole vault with a 15' 6" effort.

Saturday Lead

Harvard had jumped out to an early eight-point lead Saturday afternoon after Crimson performers finished surprisingly well in the shot, the 35-pound weight, and the broad jump.

Dick Benka lobbed the shot 57', his best throw ever, to capture first. Bruce Hedendal was fifth with a 52' 9 1/4" toss.

Ron Wilson's 58' 7 1/2" toss in the 35-pound weight was good enough for second place. Charlie Ajootian was third, and David Bernstein placed fifth.

Skip Hare and Bob Galliers finished third and fifth respectively in the broad jump.