Cross-Country at Dartmouth

DARTMOUTH was represented for the first time in cross-country competition by a coach-less team of runners in the second annual Intercollegiate cross-country championship held by the Intercollegiate Association of amateur athletes of America in 1909. Entirely unused to long runs over rough and hilly country Dartmouth produced a team which scored fifth place, defeating veteran teams from Harvard, Pennsylvania, Columbia, Princeton, and Syracuse. Owing to the success of this first attempt at recognition in cross-country running, Dartmouth secured the services of Harry Hillman who was to act in the capacity of both cross-country and track coach.

Tracing the history of cross-country at Dartmouth we find it satisfactory but hardly ever sensational. The teams developed were in general mediocre although some very good distance runners gained recognition. Such good performers as Harmon, Marceau, Day and Ball showed promise under Coach Hillman. In 1912 the Dartmouth team placed third in the annual crosscountry Championship with Captain Ball gaining fifth place in the individual scoring. The next year found Dartmouth in fourth place with Captain Marceau sixth in individual placement. Dartmouth in 1914 had but a mediocre team which finished eighth in the Intercollegiate run. The team bettered itself slightly the following season but, with Coach Hillman leaving crosscountry coaching in 1915 to become trainer on the football squad, the cross-country teams from then on until 1919 were only fair. The seasons of 1919 and 1920 were the poorest in all the history of cross-country running at Dartmouth. H. C. Avery '19, who had shown himself a capable runner as a member of the team, was engaged as coach in 1920, but was greatly handicapped by a lack of material with which to build up a team.

THE APPOINTMENT OF COHN

With the appointment of John P. Watson as trainer of football, Coach Hillman again directed his attention to cross-country until the year 1925 at which time he resumed his duties as trainer, a position he still holds. Looking over the prospects for a coach of cross-country, Dartmouth was fortunate in securing the aid of Harvey W. Cohn, an Olympic distance runner. Under Coach Cohn such good men as Bob Dalrymple, Sam Martin, and "Rocky" Keith were developed. From the comparatively short time that Harvey Cohn has been crosscountry coach to this present year, cross-country teams have just about been holding their own in Intercollegiate competition. A performance worthy of mention is that of the Freshman team of the class of 1931. This team placed second in the Annual Freshman Intercollegiate Cross-country run which is held in conjunction with the Varsity run; Gould, who left college the year after, placed second followed by Lee Andrews who captured third highest scoring honors. The team last year composed of Captain Joe Huckins, J. W. Langley, D. S. Richardson, R. P. Benezet, "Sid" Rubin, S. Bush and "Red" Sanborn went through its season with a victory over Norwich University, third place in the Harvard-M. I. T.-Dartmouth meet, third in the Quadrangular meet and no place in the Intercollegiates worthy of mention. Captain-elect Langley and four other letter-men, supplemented by a group of promising Sophomores are hoping for a successful season next fall. The schedule is to be as follows:

Oct. 17—Harvard-M.I.T.-New Hampshire-Dartmouth, .at Harvard Oct. 24—Intra-college Handicaps Meet at Hanover Oct. 31—Quadrangular Meet at New York Nov. 16—Intercollegiates at New York

TOO EXACTING?

Cross-country has been called by Lawson Robertson, Olympic Coach, the most gruelling of all sports. One should not think that this necessarily means that cross country running is harmful. On the contrary, with proper training and diet, cross-country running is a great "conditioning" sport and is recognized as such by the majority of track coaches who encourage trackmen, from quarter-milers up, to go out for it in the fall prior to the indoor track season. Because of the fact that cross-country running might be harmful to some individuals, at Dartmouth each candidate is given a thorough physical exam by Dr. John P. Bowler, whose services for Dartmouth Athletics are known by all alumni. Then, a weight chart is kept for each member of the squad. If, within a week's time, a gradual loss of weight is Seen, the individual is again examined and, if found physically unfit for cross-country running, cut from the squad. There has been much talk, recently, about the possible bad effects that cross-country running might have on the candidate. Last year an investigation was carried on by the Dean of Freshmen who suspected that cross-country had something to do with the low ranks turned in by some members of the Freshman squad. In personal interviews some admitted the harmful effects of cross-country on their physical, and consequently, mental state. Others, who professed to be honest with themselves, and who were of the majority on the squad, blamed not cross-country but themselves. The controversy extended itself to the Varsity members. Some stated and proved that the first semester of their school year had been their most successful scholastically, so there the matter dropped. It stands to reason, however, that with the crisp and invigorating weather in the fall of the year as Dartmouth knows it, and with good training under a competent coach, running out of doors in a healthy atmosphere cannot help but be beneficial.

THE HANOVER COURSE

This leads to a discussion of what the cross-country course is and how far is the distance. The Varsity course is about six miles and the Freshman half that distance. Dartmouth's cross-country course had to be changed last year due to the building in of cement roads over Hanover's principal highways. The course formerly ran along North Main street to the golf course, by the ski-jump and back by way of Fraternity Row to the Davis Field House. It was a fairly rough and very hilly course, but over beautiful country. Any crosscountry run held at Dartmouth can now be watched by anybody from the cement stands of the Stadium. The new course starts on the cinder track and leads to the flat land south of Chase Field and back to the starting point. The Varsity men run over this course three times for the full required distance. Due to the situation of this new course additional interest has been aroused in cross-country running.

With this added interest, it is hoped that more candidates will report next fall to Coach Cohn. The larger the squad, the better the chance of getting a wellbalanced team to represent Dartmouth in crosscountry competition.

Each Freshman and Sophomore student at Dartmouth is required to take a "recreation" of some sort. In the past years "rec" men have hardly been encouraged to take cross-country as their "recreation" in the fall term. This is lamentable as far as crosscountry and track are concerned, for it was from this same recreational group of men that one of Dartmouth's cross-country Captains, "Ed" Butterworth '3O, came to be one of Dartmouth's premier distance men. Dartmouth has long been in want of a good set of distance runners, and the only way to develop these is through cross-country running. If men do not come out for the sport, the lack of distance runners will still continue to be felt and there is no reason why this should be so. Dartmouth has as much material in the student body as any other college has. It is only a question of encouraging the men to try cross-country running as a sport or recreation. No harm can possibly come from it and the sport as well as the individual will benefit. The result will probably be better cross-country teams at Dartmouth and, consequently, better distance performances on the track.

IN SINGLE FILE (NEAR THE FINISH), NIVERSON LEADING

THE START All in a bunch, Monahan leading

UNDER WAY- STILL BUNCHED

BEGINNING TO STRING OUT KEITH TAKES LEAD