Published by the MIT News Office at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.

Johnson Games to Return on May 4

INAUGURAL EVENT
Johnson Games to Return
On your mark . . . Get set . . . Go!

Now is the time for students, faculty and staff to begin forming teams 
to take part in The Johnson Games on Saturday, May 4, a day of fun and 
good-natured competition for the MIT community.

The Games, first held in 1988 to celebrate the naming of the Athletics 
Center in honor of Howard W. Johnson, MIT's 12th president, this year 
are being held in conjunction with the inauguration of Dr. Charles M. 
Vest as the Institute's 15th president. 

As a special feature, the Games will be followed by an Inaugural Picnic.

The Games and Picnic will honor Dr. Vest and his wife, Becky, beginning 
a week of activities leading to the inauguration itself on Friday, May 
10.

The Games will be held from 10:30am to 2:30pm on Steinbrenner Field on 
the west campus, with the picnic scheduled from 2 until 4. In case of 
inclement weather, the events will be rescheduled from the playing 
fields to the Johnson Athletics Center.

Another date to remember is April 5, the registration deadline for the 
teams that take part in the Games, which attracted more than 1,500 
participants in 1988. 

This year, as then, the Games Committee said, "The Johnson Games are 
about the spirit of friendship and coming together, the joy of good-
natured competition, and the value of team spirit and effort."

There will be a combination of physical and mental activities, providing 
opportunities for all to participate. Specific events will not be 
announced until the day of the Games, but team spirit and effort, not 
just athletic prowess, will be weighed heavily in the judges' scoring, 
the committee said.

It is a family day, too. Games and activities for children will be 
provided while the adult games are taking place. Spectators also are 
encouraged to attend.

Team registration forms are available in the Information Center (Rm 7-
121), at the equipment desk in DuPont Athletic Center (W32), at the 
Student Center Information Desk, in Rm 3-203, in the Lobby of E52 and in 
Lobby 10 (April 1-5). A registration form also will be printed in MIT 
Tech Talk early in March. 

Completed forms should be mailed to the Games Committee in Rm 3-203.

Each team should be formed around a core group such as a house, 
department or activity and adhere to the following team composition 
rules:

--Each can have a maximum of 40 but must have a minimum of 20 
participating members. (Teams may have an unlimited number of honorary 
members, supporters and groupies.)

--Each should be roughly 50/50 male and female.

--There should be a minimum of 40 percent students and 30 percent 
faculty or staff on each team.

--At least one-third of the active participants must be from a named 
core or sponsoring group. (Examples: student living groups; academic 
departments, schools or labs; administrative departments such as 
Financial Operations or Physical Plant; and ad hoc groups as approved by 
the Games Committee.)

--Each team must designate a captain (or co-captains) who will be the 
contact person(s) for the Games staff and who will be responsible for 
organizing, inspiring and communicating with the team before and during 
the games.

--Each team must come up with a team name which will be printed on the 
back of complimentary team t-shirts.

For additional information, call Sarah Swett at x3-1707.