Thinclads Set for Heptagonals Despite 'Mysterious Cold Bug'

The Harvard track team, suffering from what coach Bill McCurdy diagnosed yesterday as a "mysterious cold bug," will meet thinclads from the Ivy League, Army and Navy tomorrow in a heptagonal meet at Brown.

McCurdy said yesterday that despite the absence of top high hurdler Dewey Hickman, sidelined with what could be bronchitis, and the weakened physical condition of runners Nick Leone and Bill Ockerman stricken with colds, the Crimson still stands an excellent chance of capturing third in the heptagonals.

"While Penn and Navy are arguing for first place, we'll be battling Cornell for third." McCurdy said.

Harvard's best opportunity for a first place rests with pole-vaulter Jim Klieger, who last week set a New England and Harvard record with a 16-ft. 8-in. vault against Army.

McCurdy said that the Crimson will stand an excellent chance of scoring well in the field events if long and triple jumper Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace and high jumper Mel Embree prove as much a threat as they did last weekend to Army.

Despite a successful performance in the field events, a Crimson bid for third place is dependent upon how much of the team's scoring potential can actually develop in the track events, McCurdy said.

Because Hickman will not be entered in the meet as a result of illness, Sam Butler, an intermediate hurdler, will have to run the high hurdles as well. "Although he'll be running the intermediates against the NCAA champion from Penn, Butler stands an excellent chance of placing," McCurdy said.

McCurdy said that the Crimson's best bets on the track rest with Baylee Reid in the 100-yd. and 220-yd. dashed and with John Quirk in the mile run. He added that despite their colds Nick Leone will be running the 440 and Bill Okerman the 880 sprint, and both might still prove scoring threats.