Wins in Distance Events Help Crimson Top Army

The Harvard track team flexed its strongest muscles and a few weak ones Saturday to clearly dominate a surprised Army squad, 65-44. The team expected a close meet, but the Crimson was assured of victory long before the final relays.

Harvard built up an early lead in the field events and never fell behind. Crimson track men said that the unanticipated showing of Tom Downer and John Gillis in the 600-yard run crushed Army and gave Harvard the impetus for victory.

"The 600 was the turning point in the meet." said captain Keith Colburn, "Army never recovered from that upset."

Following the dedication ceremonies of the Edward L. Farrell Track Facility, commonly referred to as "the bubble," Ed Nosal and Jake Driscoll out-threw the Army weightmen, winning the 35-pound weight and the shot put, respectively.

While the remaining field events were being decided, Roy Shaw and Colburn began a pair of triple performances that left Army's distance men gasping for breath. The Crimson swept the mile with Shaw winning in a time of 4:12. followed closely by Colburn and John Heyburn.

Then, Downer and Gillis came up with the command performance of the afternoon. Army was heavily favored in the 600 but a fine strategy race by the Crimson's duo gave Downer the victory in 1:12.0, Gillis finishing second.

Led by Skip Hare, the Crimson swept the long jump and hurdler Johnson set a new bubble record of 7.5 seconds in the 60 highs. In the 1000. Army took charge early, holding the first three places. At the half-mile mark. Colburn jumped into the lead and, with one lap remaining, Shaw began a phenomenal kick that vaulted him from fifth to first place with a time of 2:12.7.

Army Tries

Army countered with first and second places in the pole vault, high jump and the 60-yard dash but their surge was too little and too late. Dave Pottetti, making one of his few indoor appearances, and an ailing Mike Koerner battled with Army's Nick Sebastian for a mile and a half in the two-mile run until Pottetti and Koerner pulled away strongly, adding eight more points to the Crimson's lead. Pottetti won in 9:07.0.

Victory

The Crimson had the meet in the victory column by this point, but the usually decisive relays remained. The relays were split, Harvard taking the two-mile contest and Army, the mile relay, despite Downer's flying lunge at the tape.

The freshman team beat the Plebes in their duel. 82-27. The Yardlings won all but two events and pole vaulter Ed Skane and two-miler Tom New set new freshman records. Skane jumped 14 "41/4" and New won in 9:15.6.