Eliot to Sponsor Third Skating Benefit

Eliot House's third annual Jimmy Fund benefit skating show. "As Evening with Champions," will feature two new attractions--the top Canadian amateurs and Harvard professors--on the ice at Watson rink next week.

Among those professors who have said they will skate in the show are John Kenneth Galbraith. Warburg Professor of Economics, Alan E. Heimert '49, Cabot Professor of American Literature and master of Eliot House, and Doris Kearns, associate professor of Government. They will appear in the Friday evening performance only.

First International

The most distinctive feature of this year's show, according to John Misha Petkevich '72, one of the show's organizers, is that for the first time it is international. Toller Cranston, 1972 World Men's Free Skating Champion. Sandra and Val Bezic, 1972 Canadian Pairs Champions, and Louise and Barry Soper, 1972 Canadian Dance Champions, are all scheduled to perform.

Didier Gaithaguet, Silver Medalist in the French Men's Nationals competition, will also appear on the ice.

All the rest of the skaters will be returning from past years, some of them with 1972 Olympic Medals. Among the returning performers are two Harvard College students: Petkevich, and 1971 United States and North American champion, and Suna Murray '76, the 1972 U.S. Ladies Bronze medalist.

One of the unique features of the benefit is that the skaters themselves asked to participate in the show.

Unusual Prestige

"The show has gained as unusual prestige in the world of figure skating," Petkevich said. He said the appeal to the skaters was probably a combination of the satisfaction of performing for a cause and the prospect of skating before an audience largely composed of their own peer group. "They can let their hair down, he said.

Petkevich originally conceived of the show two years ago when he underwent X-rays on his knees and noticed the number of children restricted to wheel chairs at the Children's Hospital.

Jimmy Fund

"I wanted to find some way in which I could use my athletic talents to enhance the lives of these kids."

Since then, the Eliot House Jimmy Fund Committee has raised more than $37,000.

Barry Sherman '74, ticket coordinator, said he hopes to clear a profit of $25,000 for donation to the Children's Cancer Research Foundation (Jimmy Fund)--$3000 more than last year's contribution. Tickets are available at the Harvard Athletic Office, 60 Boylston St. Performances are November 10 at 8 p.m. and November 11 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Other skaters who will be performing are Janet Lynn, U.S. Ladies' and Olympic and World Bronze medalist: Mark and Melissa Militano, U.S. Pairs Silver medalists and members of the Olympic and World teams; and Ann and Skip Millier, U.S. Dance Silver medalists and World Team members. Dick Button, former World and Olympic champion, will be master of ceremonies.