Matmen Think Upset Possible Against Tough Princeton Team

The Harvard wrestlers are not about to throw in the towel. Throughout exam period they have been gearing themselves to upset the formidable Princeton Tigers at 2:30 p.m. this Saturday at the IAB.

Princeton boasts a strong lineup, and a 9-2 record against some menacing East Coast squads. The Tigers also occupy the top spot in Ivy League standings, having whipped Columbia, Penn and Brown.

"Sure, Princeton's favored to take this one," Harvard coach John Lee said yesterday. "But an upset is certainly within our reach." Harvard is now 4-7 for the season.

To muster any kind of threat, Harvard must capture the lightweight matches. "If we win at 118, 126 and 134. I think we can really hope for an upset," Lee said. "It's good for morale to take the opening matches."

Harvard's Dan Blakinger (118 lbs.) will not have an easy time with Princeton' Lee Klepper, who beat Blakinger last year. But Blakinger, 10-1 for the season, looks like the only man in the Ivies who can upset Klepper. Strongmen Bill Haley (126) and Carl Biello (134) meet Princeton's Doug Schutte and Eric Lubell in matches in which there is no favorite.

The Tigers can be expected to jab at Harvard's weak spots in the middleweights. Crimson regulars George Baker (144), Mike Dee (150), John Keough (158) and Bruce Johnson could pull it off, as both have accumulated winning records this season.

Harvard's heavies, Jim Strathmeyer (177), Richie Starr (190) and Carl Culig (unlimited), will also have their hands full, but victory is possible.

"I'd like to say I know we're going to win the light and heavyweight matches," Lee said. "But the whole thing is unpredictable."

Lee said attendance at practices during exam period has been "unusually good." "We have a better, stronger lineup than we did in December," he added.