Sports

LACROSSE

June 1950 Francis E. Merrill '26
Sports
LACROSSE
June 1950 Francis E. Merrill '26

In this exotic Indian sport, the Dartmouth supporters have been badly spoiled, what with an unprecedented series of League titles amassed by Coach Dent's pupils since 1946. This team is apparently not quite so strong as some of the recent aggregations fielded by the Green, either on the attack or the defense, although there are some stalwarts operating in both positions this year. Captain Walter Fisher and Bill Balderston on defense and Hammy Gates at attack are among the best Coach Tommy Dent has had in recent years. But there are just not enough of them. The attack was badly crippled this spring, when the veteran Haviland Smith injudiciously placed his hand in a buzz saw during spring vacation, thereby almost losing several fingers and depriving the team of its second most powerful scoring threat. Smith and Gates worked very well in collaboration, with each scoring plentifully and feeding the other, but Hammy has had to carry the ball largely by himself throughout most of the season.

The Yale encounter was played over Green Key weekend, with Dartmouth coming out on the short end of an 11-7 score, thereby sustaining their first defeat by a New England team since 1946. The Elis ran up a 4-1 lead during the first period and were never headed thereafter, despite the heroics of several previously unheralded members of the Green squad. Bob Fiertz scored first for Dartmouth shortly after the opening, but the local boys were unable to dent the twine again until almost the end of the first period. The rest of the Dartmouth scoring was done by Ed Lyon with two goals, Bob Binswanger with one, Fiertz with another (making two for him), one by Jack Giegerich, and one by the usually more prolific Hammy Gates.