Swimming Team Has Big Problems

Only four key men from last year's varsity swimming team aren't working out in the Indoor Athletic Building pool for the '49-50 season but their absence gas evoked Coach Hal Ulen's squad in three events.

Breaststrokes Larry Ward and Chuck Hoolzer and distance men Ted Norris and Jerry Gorman are the missing persons. Ex-captains Gorman '48-'40) and Hoolzer ('47-'48) and Norris graduated in June, and Ward is unavailable for personal reasons.

Ulen has three men working out to fill the gap, Rose Vielman, Dick Wheeler, and Mike Siner. Bob Brown may be able to help next term, but the coach doesn't anticipate enough improvement by any of these men to make the Crimson a strong contender in the breaststroke and the medley relay.

Ulen is seeking entries for the 440 and 220-yard freestyle from a sextet composed of Lowell Sachnoff ('52 freshman captain), Doug Kinney, Yale Hill, Paul Tobias, Pete Bierre, and Norton Goddes. Norm Watkins and Bob Berke ('51 freshman captain) may also be called up from shorter races to the 220.

In sprints, backstroke, and diving, the Crimson is in wonderful shape. Captain Joe Fox, Watkins, Berke, Shep Brown Mort Hull, and Bob Tolf are all back for the 50 and 100 yard freestyle, and sophomore Bob Stroud may break into the lineup.

Last year's top two are back in the other two specialties: Tom Wood and John Steinhardt, backstroke, and Win Briggs and Gordon Weir, diving. Sophomore Hugh Hartwell is a rising backstroke prospect and Frank Manheim, ineligible as a transfer student last year, may be the third man on the springboard.

With a ten-meet schedule ahead, Ulen thinks seven the most the varsity team can win. "Yale--out of this world; Army--2500 athletes, in early every night; Dartmouth--better than last year, had a fine freshman team:" Ulen mutters; "and Princeton has the second fastest breaststroke in the world (Brawner)."