Kirkland May Capture Straus Throne

"Don't let it be forgot

That once there was a spot

For one brief shining moment

That was known as Camelot..." King Arthur in "Camelot"

Members of Winthrop House may soon be singing their own rendition of Arthur's song, for the glory days of Harvard's "Camelot" House appear to be numbered.

Winthrop, a perennial power in intramural athletics, has easily captured the Straus Cup, indicative of the intramural championship, four years in a row. But members of the house may soon be clinging to memories; entering the spring season and the final stage of the Cup competition, Kirkland House appears to be in an excellent position to dethrone its reigning neighbor and seize The Winthrop House Excalibur, the Straus Cup.

As a Rock

Kirkland finished the fall season with a solid 50-point lead over Winthrop and, although final points for the winter season won't be tabulated for another two weeks, senior Bill H. Cook, Kirkland House athletic secretary, is confident his house will maintain its lead.

Pungency

"I detect that our people are getting more excited as it comes down to the wire," Cook said, adding, "As the season progresses a lot of Kirkland people will begin to smell the Straus Cup."

Participation in intramurals has increased over last year, when Kirkland finished second in the overall standings, Cook said.

"I know it sounds kind of corny, but it's a team effort, the whole house is making it happen. If we can keep up the kind of participation we've been having, we'll be all right," he added.

This could be the first year since 1964 that Kirkland has won sole rights to the Straus Cup. The House shared the crown with Winthrop in 1970, junior Peter Beileuson, who also serves with Cook and senior Ann Pawlowki as Kirkland athletic secretaries, said.

No Windsor

But Winthrop House is not yet ready to abdicate its throne. Doug Richards, house athletic secretary says that Winthrop may have even caught up with Kirkland during the winter season.

"I think we made some good progress on them during the winter, but we won't know for sure until it's over and the points are tabulated," he said.

Winthrop's basic strength lies in the women's events, Richards said, noting that he expects the 'Throp to grab titles in women's basketball and squash.

If Winthrop House can pull ahead after the winter season, it should be able to hold on during the spring events, which begin this week with the volleyball tournament.

"We'll have a serious softball team," he said, adding Winthrop should also be very strong in tennis.

Losing the Cup wouldn't have any dramatic effect on the house, Richards said, adding, "They break for summer as soon as they award the Cup, so we'd have three months to recover. But I'm not going to worry because we're not going to lose. We've got too many good women to lose."

Quincy, in third place after the fall season, is also depending heavily on the strength of its women athletes, John Thompson, house athletic secretary said. Participation in intramurals is down in the house this year, but the women have been particularly successful, he added.

"I think there will be a swing this winter so that Winthrop House will pull out in front," Thompson said, adding, "It looks like it's going to be Kirkland chasing Winthrop and us chasing Kirkland."

South House can't be counted out of the intramurals picture yet either, after finishing in fourth position last fall.

Angel Leon, South House athletic secretary, says he's confident that South will overtake Quincy with strong performances in men's squash and women's tennis.

"My sophomore year we finished thirteenth and Adams House finished twelfth with twice as many points as us," Leon said, adding, "This is the first year we've actually been competing with a full house."