Mayhem, Limited

Because it forbids such professional monkeyshines as sadistic holds and Promethean agonies, intercollegiate wrestling is generally considered about as dull as sport can get. Not so in the little town of Bethlehem, Pa., home of wrestling conscious Lehigh, where the great grunt-&-groan is taken as seriously as football. Last week 800 Bethlehemites--town & gown alike--trekked 120 miles to New Haven, Conn, to see Lehigh's wrestlers compete in the Eastern Intercollegiate Championships.

The trip had its rewards. Taking two firsts, two seconds and a third, Lehigh won the title from Navy, winner for four years straight. The Engineers' heroes were Pilgrim McRaven, an ex-G.I. who won the 121-lb. class, and Ed Erikson, who pinned his man in the 165-lb. finals with a half nelson and a body press.

During the tournament, no wrestlers from 15 colleges earnestly tried to tear each other apart--within carefully prescribed limits. College rules forbid bending opponent's fingers, holding his nose, gouging his eyes, strangling him, or in any way causing him unnecessary pain and inconvenience. Nevertheless, the boys succeeded in getting tangled up (see cuts).

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