Monday, Apr. 08, 1957

Riled Rollers

Lithe, loose-muscled athletes from 49 colleges roiled University of North Carolina's Bowman Gray pool last week as they raced through the N.C.A.A. swimming championships. But in the competition for the team title, 47 of the squads had been sent to Chapel Hill for little more than a free bath. In essence, it was a dual meet between Yale and Michigan.

Yale's versatile Tim Jecko of Bethesda, Md. pushed the Elis into an early lead with victories in the 200-yd. butterfly and 200-yd. individual medley. Splashing along, just off the pace, Michigan scored heavily in low-board diving and stayed within easy reach. Of the other threats, Indiana and Michigan State tarried behind in a tight scrap for third, and Ohio State, last year's champion, was out of it entirely. The Buckeye team was dry-docked by N.C.A.A. punishment for overenthusiastic football recruiting.

Exclusion from the big meet had left Ohio State's peppery little coach, Mike Peppe, sputtering. "We're not nearly as guilty of irregularities as 100 other colleges in the U.S.," he insisted. "When it comes to swimming recruiting, we're nothing but pikers compared to some schools like Yale. And Michigan. Michigan has a very aggressive group of alumni recruiters. I have no wealthy alumni here," said Mike with a straight face. "Anyway, to go after swimmers like Yale and Michigan do is illegitimate."

While the riled roilers pondered legitimacy, Coach Robert John Herman Kiphuth's Yalemen (unbeaten in 156 consecutive dual meets since 1945) and Michigan Coach Gus Stager's Wolverines nailed the pool in a virtual dead heat. After the disqualification of Michigan's Dick

Hanley in the100-yd. freestyle (for failing to touch on a turn), Yale held a slim four-point lead going into the final relay. But in that event Yale was disqualified (for a premature start); Michigan, tying with Michigan State for first place, earned twelve points. Final team standings: Michigan 69, Yale 61, Michigan State 52.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.