Dartmouth's Rugby Champs

The game of football, developed in the United States, traces much of its origin back to the English game of rugby, as traditional an English sport as cricket or soccer. In recent years rugby has been introduced in its original form to college campuses, chiefly among the Ivy League institutions.

One of the best rugby teams in the East is that fielded by the Dartmouth Rugby Club which over the past three seasons of fall and spring play has lost only two games in twenty-eight. Last spring the Big Green ruggers captured the Bermuda Invitational Trophy and later, on the basis of their wins over teams like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, M.I.T., the New York Rugby Club and others, were awarded the Eastern Rugby Union championship trophy.

Like rowing, sailing and wrestling at Dartmouth, rugby has developed on an informal club basis without support by the Dartmouth College Athletic Council. Four and five years ago the Club drew largely on the football team for players and as a result played a spring schedule only. Now, although a few football players join the team each spring, the Club relies primarily on students who play both fall and spring and who have learned the techniques of rugby rather than of football. The undefeated records posted by the Dartmouth rugby team last spring and this fall were due largely to a talented group of sophomores and juniors who have come to know and like rugby as a sport in its own right.

As with all informal sports, rugby has had its ups and downs. The Club has been financed largely by its student members, through collections at games and contributions by alumni and friends. The Club is especially grateful to the Class of 1931 for gifts made at its 25th reunion last June.

Corey Ford, Hanover author and humorist, has recently taken the Club under his wing and made meeting room facilities available at his home. Mr. Ford has extended similar hospitality and assistance to boxing and wrestling.

Bolstered by its current winning streak, by a large influx of talented candidates, by increased interest on the part of the Dartmouth student body, and by strong leadership from its seven officers, the Dartmouth Rugby Club looks ahead confidently to the future.

Included in that future are plans for a freshman rugby team with its own schedule, some expansion of the varsity schedule, closer concentration on the techniques of the game, and increased attention to attracting players. Finally, within the next few years, the club plans to give England its first glimpse of an American college rugby team. The Club hopes to be able to send a team to England during the Christmas season in 1957 or 1958.

After many years football has come full cycle, or should we say simply that rugby has come into its own at Dartmouth!

Dartmouth Rugby Club officers with the Eastern Rugby Union championship awardwon this year. L to r: J. Richard Webb '56, treasurer; Richard P. Liesching '59, secretary;Club adviser Corey Ford; Donald D. Saunders '57, captain; D. Douglas Stevenson Jr. '57,president; Charles Solms '58, assistant secretary; Edward L. Spetnagel III '58, manager;and Donald A. Adley '57, public relations director.