SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION
Out of the ordinary was a meeting staged by the Southern California Alumni Association, in conjunction with the Cornell Club of Los Angeles, on January 21 and 22 at Los Serranos Country Club, about forty miles from Los Angeles. Incidentally, it established the supremacy of Dartmouth over Cornell in five big events—tennis, bridge, chess, horse-shoe pitching, and dominoes. In golf alone did the Cornell men show that they had spent more time on the links than their confreres from Hanover.
It all came about because the Cornell men and the Dartmouth men here in Southern California like and respect each other just as do the undergraduates of the two institutions every fall, when the annual clash of the "Big Green" team against the "Big Red" on the gridiron is always interesting, even though at times one-sided. Following the Cornell defeat last November, to the tune of S3 to 7, its alumni in Los Angeles felt that something must be done so that the Southern California Association could not do too much crowing. Therefore the challenge was issued, and it was very promptly accepted. Committees were appointed to suggest plans and possibilities, that for Dartmouth being headed by Edwin D. Martin '09, with E. W. Hiestand '10 assisting.
The two-day meet at Los Serranos was finally decided upon, and thirty-eight Dartmouth men found their way there on Saturday, January 21, while about thirty Cornell men joined the part}r. There was a joint dinner on Saturday evening, at which David Bradley 'O3, president of the Southern California Association, acted jointly with Sterling Lines, president of the Cornell Club, in the role of toastmaster. But speeches were ruled out of order, much to the regret of Cornell's champion orator, Henry Davis. Instead of speeches, the group expressed its sentiments by singing all the old songs, including not only special Dartmouth and Cornell songs, but many of the old-time "hums." It was also voted unanimously to hold an annual Dartmouth-Cornell meet.
Dartmouth team captains for the various events included R. E. Seward '19, head of the golf contingent, R. B. Merrill 'OB, leading the bridge players, Gerald Barnes '11, piloting the chess enthusiasts, and V. R. Salinger '00, guiding the racket-wielders. Dr. George P. Laton 'O6 was the champion at dominoes, and Daniel W. Coakley 'l6 captained the horse-shoe pitchers.
It would take a skillful pen indeed to present the full story of the volleying and placing of such experts as W. B. Evans 'OB, "Eck" Hiestand, "Tubby" Laton, Dick Merrill, and others that brought victory to the Green on the tennis courts, and it would perhaps be even more difficult to relate the remarkable strategy and skillful finesse of Hartley Caldwell '23, Ed Martin, Jimmie Norton, J. Leland Richardson '08, and their mates at the bridge tables. Perhaps it will be sufficient to say that in play at six tables, the Dartmouth players won both at north and south and at east and west, for a ranking more than 2400 points better than their opponents. "Kid" Richardson showed his versatility by doubling at chess along with "Jerry" Barnes, and there was never any doubt about the outcome.
It was in every way a fine party, that lasted right through from Saturday noon until Sunday night, when Hartley Caldwell was left in charge of the clubhouse, with his little pet, Zeus Apollodorus, who, because he is only a St. Bernard puppy, weighs but 134 pounds, and who devoted all of that poundage to the job of being the Dartmouth mascot.
In noting those present, probably especial mention should be given to the fact that R. S. Danforth 'OB came down from San Francisco to help win the victory, and that H. H. Hoffman '24, a Southern California visitor from South Bend, Ind., was among those present. In addition to these, the following is the complete list of Dartmouth men who attended:
R. B. Ahlswede 'l2, Gerald Barnes '11, R. L. Bennett '13, David E. Bradley '03, Hartley Caldwell '23, Ashton Castle '24, Daniel W. Coakley 'l6, E. R. Dewey 'l7, W. B. Evans 'OB, Roland C. Foss '19, Walter B. Gibson 'll, Reginald E. Gresley '26, E. W. Hiestand 'lO, C. C. Hitchcock "16, Dr. H. D. Howard 'O7, A. L. Howell '16, M. N. Joslyn '24, Dr. George P. Laton 'O6, James W. McCleery '25, Theodore W. McFadden '26, Edwin D. Martin 'O9, Richard B. Merrill 'OB, C. G. Milham 'O6, R. W. Morrill '24, James J. Norton 'OB, Jack Packard '25, F. Piper '16, Theo. T. Reding ton '07, R. W. Redfield '15, J. Leland Richardson 'OB, L. I. Rothschild '24, V. R. Salinger '00, R. E. Seward '19, and Albert Shiels, Jr. 'l7.
