Cross-Country Team Bombs Brown, 21-36

The Harvard cross-country team buried Brown beneath the proverbial avalanche of Crimson jerseys and captain Jim Baker came within 11 seconds of the Franklin Park course record yesterday as undefeated Harvard scored its fifth straight win. 21-36.

In light of Brown's opening victory over Yale. Harvard coach Bill McCurdy went into yesterday's meet mildly apprehensive. And for the first mile of the 5.5 mile race, the Bruins were hanging tough.

After hearing a fairly slow time for his first mile, Baker picked up the pace several notches. As the wiry Englishman began to pull away his teammates Doug Hardin and Tim McLoone-both juniors also surged forward ahead of Brown's first man.

At the three-mile mark. Baker was leading with Hardin and the generally underrated McLoone second and third. Brown ace John Cobourn held fourth, but Harvard's Roy Shaw and Bob Stempson the last two scorers needed to spike the win-were close behind.

60 Yard Lead

Baker flew around the course in 27:09. just 11 seconds off the course record Hardin set last Fall. Coming over the last hill. plucking at his shorts, the senior held about a 60-yard lead. Hardin was second. Brown's Cobourn third. McLoone pulled out fourth. Shaw sixth, and Stempson eighth.

Chip Ennis and Jim Wich finished fifth and seventh for Brown. But Harvard's overall depth was too great. The Crimson's sixth and seventh men. Dick Howe and John Hayburn-tenth and eleventh in the meet-beat out Brown's fifth man.

This was an encouraging win for Harvard for several reasons. First, Baker and Hardin continued their rapid development. It was the captain's best time ever and Hardin's best of the year.

Running Camera

Second, McLoone proved to any doubters that he is for real-a strong, talented gusty runner. The junior bubbled after the race.

Pointing to the injured sophomore star. Keith Colburn. who ran around the course during the race snapping pictures of his teammates. McLoone joked. " I got tired early, because I had to smile every time I went past Colburn with the camera."

The third development which brought smiles to McCurdy's face was the performance of Bob Stempson. Last year Stempson ranked in the top five on the squad. But he's had trouble getting untracked this Fall. McCurdy said Thursday that if Harvard was to win-especially with Colburn out of the race-the senior Stempson would have to come through with a big effort, and he did.

In the freshman race, won by Harvard. 21-35. Dave Pottetti kept pace with Baker in the win department. beating out his Yardling mate, Tom Spengler, by 53 seconds. The other freshman scorers were Howard Foye, Curt Schweitzer, and Wilbur Edwards.