1952

The request made two columns ago for recollections about class members’ participation in the pioneering efforts that brought rugby back to campus in the spring of 1951 brought responses from Vince Jones and George Rambour that, along with some creative googling by Bill Montgomery, completed the identification of the dozen classmates who formed the core of the original team that competed against Harvard and Yale in Bermuda during spring break that year. The roster includes, alphabetically, Kent Calhoun, Jack Creamer, Bill Fischer, Cliff Fitzgerald, Ted Haskell, Bob Herr, Vince Jones, Pete McSpadden, Hal Morse, George Rambour, Al Reich (who spearheaded the team’s formation) and Howard Smith. A commemorative plaque noting their achievement is in the works, to be presented to Dartmouth’s rugby house at our upcoming reunion. This effort is being led by Albie Collins, whose memory of Al Reich’s role in the rebirth of Dartmouth rugby, stoked by the current team’s victory in the national collegiate seven-man rugby tournament last spring, sparked this entire endeavor. At this writing Gay Reich is planning to attend.

In our conversation George Rambour recalled that the team’s travel and hotel expenses had been borne by the Bermuda tourism authorities, who welcomed the annual rugby tournament as a source of entertainment for the army of collegians who invaded the island each spring, and its participants as a counterbalance to the predominantly feminine character of that army. Hence, it turned out to be a memorable experience for the team off the playing field as well as on.

Vince Jones used his introduction into rugby as a springboard to a quasi-career in the sport. He earned a letter or its equivalent both at Oxford (while a Rhodes Scholar) and at Stanford (while a law student) and participated in the sport as player and coach, both amateur and professional, well into the 1960s, including captaining an all-star team that toured Australia and New Zealand. He is still practicing law in Concord, California.

Our 60th and last June reunion is but a few weeks away (June 11-14). I hope to see you there.

1706 N. Park Dr., Apt. 8, Wilmington, DE 19806; (302) 428-0398; dave@drexler. com

Reunion June 11-14