Varsity Heavy Crew Rows Princeton, Tech Today in Season's Last Home Boat Race

People who missed last week's victory over Rutgers and M.I.T. and people who saw it, will get their first real opportunity to judge the 1953 heavy crew when the varsity heavies row Princeton and Tech for the Compton Cup at 4:30 p.m. today in the last home race of the season. The junior varsity race starts at 4:00, and the freshman race gets underway at 3:30.

On paper, the Crimson and the Tiger shells must be rated about even; the only underdog in today's finale is Tech, which has never won the Cup since it was first offered in 1933.

The Orange and Black crew edged Columbia in its opener two weeks ago, but last week rowed an unsuccessful race against Navy; the Olympic champion Middles beat Princeton by four lengths. At the same time the Crimson won its opener by a length over a surprising Rutgers crew, in 9:43.6. Last year's varsity shell, stroked by Lou McCagg, defeated Princeton at Lake Carnegie, covering the mile and three quarters distance in 9:05.8.

Coach Harvey Love, heartened but not optimistic, is staying with the same eight that won last Saturday: Neddie Bliss, stroke; John Atherton, seven; Bob Monks, six; Dick Darrell, five; Leroy Rouner, four; Chisolm Halle, three; Captain Phil DuBois, two; and Frank Huntington, bow. Al Lefkowitz will cox. Bliss Darrell, and Halle are sophomores.

"We've been making progress this week," Love said yesterday, "and we've had one more week of rowing. We rowed a good race Saturday, considering everything. The boys were green, but they kept their hads well, even when thy weren't out in front. W showed a lack of condition, but we've improved there this week."

And as Love says, "It's too early to compare the crews. We've heard Princeton is big and good, but we won't be able to tell until we see them row." Excluding cox, the Tiger shell averages six foot three and 186 pounds to the Crimson's six foot three and 184.2 pounds. Tech is the heaviest boat on the river, with an average of 192 pounds.

Whereas Love didn't switch his first boat at all, the jayvee eight that rows at 4 p.m. will have only four of the men that beat Tech handily last week. Larry Brownell will stroke, with Al Dann taking over the seven spot. Pete Simonds will row at five, and Tom Adams will be at the number four oar. Bruce Williams will cox. Veterans of the M.I.T. victory still rowing are Dan Simonds in the bow, Lee Henderson at two, Bill Geertsema at three, and Link Boyden at six.

One Crimson boat, however, is a definite underdog. Bill Leavitt's freshman heavies will be up against what is probably the best freshman crew in the East when they race Princeton at 3:30 p.m. The Tigers have already beaten Navy by two lengths, Penn by three and Columbia by four. Leavitt's shell will be the same one that won last week: Captain Ed Matthews stroke; Steve Ells, seven; Gary Markstaller; six, Rober Hearne, five; Charley Cunningham, four; Bruce Martin, three; Parker Pond, two and Fred Cushing, bow.

Princeton varsity: Bow, Stone; 2, Robinson; 3, Hart; 4, Reister; 5, Beck; 6, Dayan; 7, Ertel; Stroke, Deiger; Cox, Lyle.

M.I.T. varsity: Bow, Lindstrom; 2, Kolodkin; 3, Stern; 4, Conway; 5, Riedinger; 6, Palmer; 7, Hartrick; stroke, Buntschuh; Cox, McKay.

Princeton junior varsity: Bow, Orr; 2, Rupley; 3, Somerville; 4, Alexander; 5, Hardy; 6, Rodgers; 7, Robinson; stroke, Prioleau; Cox, Jacobs.

M.I.T. junior varsity: Bow, Baczewski; 2, Theis; 3, Gross; 4, Sterman; 5, O'Brien; 6, Hair; 7, Tuggins; stroke, Neuhaus; Cox, Uchill.

Princeton freshmen: Bow, Cromwell; 2, Dunn; 3, Howell; 4, Hicks; 5, Kirkham; 6, Detjens; 7, Kunkel; stroke, Willauer; Cox, Haselkorn.

M.I.T. freshmen: Bow, Brace; 2, Hamblet; 3, Hansen; 4, Maas; 5, Cleaver; 6, Polishuk; 7, Boedecker; stroke, Sawyer; Cox, Levine