Radcliffe Men Cannot Compete On Intramural Teams in Houses

Harvard students living at Radcliffe will not be allowed to compete for their original Houses in intramural sports this fall.

Attempts to organize football and soccer teams of the men at Radcliffe appeared to be successful a few days ago, and on the basis of this seeming success, the Committee on Houses and Undergraduate Life made the above ruling Wednesday night.

Men at Radcliffe would be considered members of one House and would compete as one of 11 Houses in intramural leagues.

But the two main organizers both said Thursday afternoon that their efforts had had disappointing results. Tony Brooks, a junior at Radcliffe, had told House athletic secretaries Monday that 40 men had agreed in conversations to play tackle football. But as of yesterday afternoon, no one had signed any of the six lists he put up.

Both he and Ron Papier, the other organizer, attracted some interest in touch football and soccer, but it is not yet clear if there will be enough interested men to field a team. There are about 300 men living at Radcliffe.

Since the committee has ruled against participation on Harvard House teams, the failure of Radcliffe to field men's teams will mean that men there cannot participate in intramural sports.

"Amicable"

Dr. David A. Harnett, the secretary of the committee, said yesterday that if Radcliffe was unable to field teams, the decision may be reversed at an Oct. 14 meeting. "We thought it was the most amicable solution for the moment," he said. "But if it appears to be an obstructive situation, it can be changed."

Harnett stressed that the ruling was a short term one since a decision had been needed right away.

Scheduling games for whatever teams Radcliffe men can field will be no problem, according to Floyd Wilson, Director of Intramural Athletics. He also said that they would he in the competition for the Straus Trophy though it was unlikely they could field enough teams to do well in the standings.

Napier indicated that Radcliffe teams would be hard to organize despite the large number of men there because of the great distance between the Quad and Harvard's athletic facilities. "And there's a less of an athletic element at Radcliffe," he added.

Women

Brooks mentioned another possible problem. Both men and women had signed the lists he put up, but women are not allowed to play intramural football and soccer for "medical reasons," Brooks said Thursday that if women were not permitted to participate, the men would probably refuse to play.

The touch football and soccer seasons start Monday.

Girls living in Harvard Houses are now permitted to be on teams in the following sports: squash, volleyball, swimming, tennis, golf, skiing, softball, and crew. The decision was based on "medical" grounds after solicited advice was received from Dr. John R. Brooks of the University Health Services.