Spray: Well, the Christmas Meet is history--successful history--as far as Pattonites are concerned, and among the names and numbers that stood out are the following: Mary Beth Ceresko 2:33.3 200 fly (just touched out Joanne Scarborough, also 2:33.3); Alice Ceresko 1:09.3 100 fly and 2:40.8 for the 200 fly; Joanie Makkonen (the world's fattest skeleton) 4:52 400 free; Tina Solis 2:44.6 200 fly; Carol Danbois 2:19.1 200 free and 27.0 for a 50 free (Alice Ceresko is another twelve year old who had broken 28 for the 50); and Joanne Scarborough 4:47 400 free, 2:33.3 200 fly. In the boys it was John Szuba 2:19 200 free 200 free; Carl Boyd 2:08.0 200 free; and Greg Penn 2:17.0 200 free and 1:09.8 100 fly. These were outstanding performances at the X-mas meet, but there were others.... At Shaker Heights Greg Penn went 1:17.2 for a 100 br. and 2:30.1 for the 200 Ind. Med. Gary Gottschling had a 1:14 for 100 back and Carol Danboise hit a 2:35.0 for the 200 Ind. Med. Joanne Scarborough went 1:17 for the 100 br., and in her qualification for the women's mile did 22:55 (under the state record). Unfortunately Joanne has been sick with a swollen throat for over a week, and it doesn't look like she'll swim at all in the mile finals. She and Linda Foster (broken foot) will undoubtedly be the most avid spectators there. To round things out, Rick Skarbo, Alice Ceresko and yours truly made the Canadian-American meet. Rick tied for fist in the 200 back (2:03.9); Alice was second in the 50 fly; and I was second in the 200 breast, also managing to get disqualified.... Wanted: one lady's purse with a slightly aged worm inside. Tim Cooper (mischief personified) ambled into the pool office one day a few weeks ago and disclosed that he had placed a worm in somebody's purse and that now the purse was gone. That's life, kid......At Patton we sprint widths now instead of lengths. There are two advantages to this: 1) we can complain to the city that the pool is too short, and 2) it sounds more impressive to tell other swimmers that you breath every other length.....Hauck threw a staff party not long ago, and the full staff was there, flying high. The next day they flew at half-staff..... Doug Webster, just recovered from Christmas dinner, went 4:09.3 for the 400 free......Don't worry about reading that love letter out loud, Janie, Red is a traditional Christmas color......and hang on, Alice. The Beatles will be in Detroit soon....

THE BRIDGE: by Harry Hauck The following is a quote from a 1915 edition of the Saturday Evening Post...."In every field of human endeavor, he that is first must perpetually live in the white light of publicity. Whether the leadership be vested in a man or in a manufactured product, emulation and envy are ever at work. In art, in literature, in music, in industry, the reward is widespread recognition; the punishment, fierce denial and detraction. When a man's work becomes a standard for the whole world, it also becomes a target for the shafts of the envious few. If his work be merely mediocre, he will be left severely alone--if he achieves a masterpiece, it will set a million tongues a-wagging. Jealousy does commonplace painting. Whatsoever you write, or paint, or play, or sing, or build, no one will strive to surpass or to slander you, unless your work be stamped with the seal of genius. Long, long after a great work or a good work has been done, those who are disappointed or envious continue to cry out that it cannot be done..........The leader is assailed because he is a leader, and the effect to equal him is merely added proof of that leadership. Failing to equal or to excel, the follower seeks to depreciate and to destroy--but only confirms once more the superiority of that which he strives to supplant. There is nothing new in this. It is as old as the world and as old as the human passions--envy, fear, greed, ambition, and the desire to surpass. And it all avails nothing. If the leader truly leads, he remains--the leader. Master-poet, master- painter, master-workman, each in his turn is assailed, and each holds his laurels through the ages. That which is good or great makes itself known, no matter how loud the clamor or denial. That which deserves to live--lives."