Track

The track season is all but over, with only the IC4As left on the schedule. Despite the fact the record books will show only one meet victory for Dartmouth, it can be said that it was still a record-breaking spring.

On May 12 the ten-team outdoor Heptagonal Championships came to Hanover. The Indians have never won the Hep laurels, nor were they given much of a chance this year. But Lady Luck did shine at least for a while.

Three Dartmouth runners qualified in the 440-yard trials, and even more important, all three placed in the finals. Tom Holzel, the Green's number one hope in the event, was second behind Wendell Mottley of Yale, while Dud Hallagan and Langdon Scott were fourth and fifth.

Next Duke Ellington, a senior from Lake Success, N. Y., took matters into his own hands and captured first place in the hop, step and jump. This marked the first year that this event had been included in the Heptagonals and Harvard was rated a solid choice to sweep the top three places. Ellington, however, covered 47 feet, 7½ inches.

Henry Jenckes added two more points in the hammer throw with a fourth and Nick Jennison was fifth in the mile, won by Mark Mullin of Harvard with a time of 4:10.1. Jennison's time was 4:15.5.

The spotlight was then turned on Gerry Ashworth, who was the only Dartmouth runner to qualify in the 100-yard dash. From the moment he left the starting block there was no question as to who was the best runner. Ashworth streaked down the track in 9.4 seconds to set new meet and Memorial Field records.

At this point, Dartmouth was very much in contention for the lead in the meet standings and John Knight gave the Indians what they needed with a third place in the high hurdles. It should be added that this event was won by Jay Luck of Yale who tied the record of 14.4 seconds set by Pete McCreary '52.

The lead was short, however, as Harvard forged to the front, with points in both the discus and half-mile run. The Indians refused to concede and fought back with Cam Duncan's and John Knight's third and fourth in the low hurdles. Here again Luck of Yale was first, this time setting a new meet record of 22.9 seconds.

Attention was then focused on Ashworth who had qualified easily in the 220-yard trials. In winning his heat he set a new meet record of 21.4 seconds. As the gun sounded to start the 220, six runners broke from their starting blocks and shoulder to shoulder they fought for the lead. A young man wearing the number 136 inched his way ahead and the crowd roared its approval. But then suddenly the stands were silent. The leading runner had pulled up as if jerked backwards and the other sprinters streaked by.

Even as the five remaining athletes crossed the finish line there were no cheers. All eyes were on Dartmouth's Gerry Ashworth, who stood by the edge of the track, head down, stopped short by a pulled muscle. Forgotten for the moment was the fact that Dartmouth's chances at the Heptagonal championships were finished, as the crowd thought only of a gallant athlete who had given his best.

Never before has the College had a runner who could run the 100 or the 220 as fast as Gerry Ashworth. In the Indians' opening meet with Boston University, Ashworth broke Geoffrey Glendinning '28's record for the 220 set on May 21, 1927. The College mark now stands at 21.2, while the old record was 21.4. In the same meet with 8.U., Ashworth smashed the 100-yard dash statistics with a 9.7 timing. Thus it was a severe blow to all Dartmouth fans that Ashworth was sidelined.

One can only speculate on what might have happened if Ashworth had finished the race. As it was, his record was wiped out by Joe Almaguer of Army, who equaled Gerry's college record of 21.2.

In the events that followed, Tom Laris was third in the two-mile run behind Bill Straub of Army and Bobby Mack of Yale. The Green relay team was second thanks to an outstanding final quarter by Tom Holzel. Yale took the event and broke the meet record.

In the final standings Yale was first for the fourth year in a row with 53 1/10 points. Army was second, Harvard third, Navy fourth with 38 2/10, and Dartmouth fifth with 36 points.

Going back over the other meets this spring, we find the Indians defeated B.U. 83-52 and were second to Harvard in a triangular meet. The score read: Harvard 91½, Dartmouth 83, Brown 9½. Against Harvard, Laris ran a fast mile, but was second to Mullin of Harvard who was clocked in 4:09.6. Laris did come back to win the two-mile in 9:20.3.

Speedster Gerry Ashworth is caught bythe Bulova Phototimer as he wins theHeptagonal 100-yard dash in 9.4 seconds,breaking both the meet and College records for the event. Later Ashworth isembraced, by a jubilant teammate.

Speedster Gerry Ashworth is caught bythe Bulova Phototimer as he wins theHeptagonal 100-yard dash in 9.4 seconds,breaking both the meet and College records for the event. Later Ashworth isembraced, by a jubilant teammate.