The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-14
One Of the Most stubborn and bitterly
Contested Football Battles in the
History of the Game.
BOTH STRONG IN DEFENSE
BUT EXTREMELY WEAK AT CRIT
ICAL TIMES IN GAINING GROUND.
Several Players Injured I'm Numerous
messed by $4,000 People.

CAMBRIDGE Mass. Nov. Harvard
and Yale played each other to a standstill
this afternoon on Soldiers field For two
thrilling hours the sturdy elevens struggled
over the white-lined gridiron, desperately
disputing every inch of territory and vainly
essaying to cross the coveted goal line. The
teams had each a strong defense and weak
ground-gaining powers and the logical out
come of the contest was that neither side
scored The game was disappointing. Each
eleven was confident of victory and the ex
pectatons of neither was realized Har-
ward should have won; she had more posi-
bilities than her rival and she had capabi
files which she did not employ to the limit.
Yale was but once within scoring distance
of the Harvard goal, but when Harvard
put her to the test she was not found want
ing, and by her resolute and determined de-
Tense prevented the Crimson from doing
what Brown West Point. Carlisle and Chi
cago had already accomplished.
1t was as stubborn and bitter a football
battle as was ever fought. Each play
brought every bit of spirit and power posi-
BILE into its inception. and it took the con-
centrated efforts of eleven men to stop it.
Both teams found like men determined that
their opponents should not gain an inch,
and although the contest lacked the football
pyrotechnics and the dramatic incidents of
the old-time games, it was a hard fight
from first to last. The game was unusually
devoid of long brilliant runs and hair-rais-
ing tackles but the enormous crowd was
kept at the intensest pitch of excitement
over the final outcome.
The high wind was an important factor
of the result. 1t made necessary a partly
IL
both teams. Yale. in winning the toss and
securing the wind, had Harvard at great
odds The fact that, heavily handicapped
as she was. Harvard defended her territory
so strongly. led all to believe that in the
second half the crimson would score an
easy victory. In the second, when Harvard
had the strong wind at her back, it was
after she had been battered and buffeted
about the gridiron for over hour and
was in no condition to strike into the line
with the most telling effect
Yales supposed superiority in the kick
ing department did not materialize. Even
when Mcbride and Desaulles had the wind
at their backs, HaughtOn very nearly held
his own. At times the Yale backs made
miserable attempts at punting. Four times
they had their kicks blocked by the Har-
ward forwards; once it turned to their own
advantage, but once decidedly to Harvards.
Haught0n was guilty of several bad but not
costly fumbles while Yales backs seemed
to misjudge the punts continually, and they
were never sure on their catches. At the
end Yale seemed to be the fresher. There
were several scrimmages and accidents, but
none of the players was seriously hurt.
1t was grand football weather, and a ire
mendous crowd saw the struggle. The air
80, ,.alro
the spectators cheer and stamp to keep
warm and to put vim into the work of the
players. The gridiron was in remarkably
good condition after the heavy rains of yes
terday, and the players were put to no dis
comfort on this score. At y o'clock, when
the gates were opened, the crowds began to
filter through the entrance to the seats and
long before the game was called the great
stands were packed to overlooking with the
anxious enthusiasts. 1t was a great spec
tacle from the Enclosure. Fully $4,000 in
closed the gridiron. Up the slopes there
blazed and fiickered a thousand dull red flags
except in the south stand, where, in four
sections there was a solid mass of waving
blue, save for an occasional crimson flag.
First there seemed to be a mass of waving
crimson everywhere; then a thousand ban
ners of the blue were snapped defiantly in
the breeze. Though Yales contingent of
five thousand enthusiastic supporters in the
south stand were numerically over
whelmed by crimson smypathizers, they
cheered more Justify and made more noise
than did their rivals.
Shortly before o'clock the Harvard
team, well greaved and gauntleted, came
upon the field, led by Captain Cabot and
Doucette. Their appearance was the signal
for a mighty tumult from the Harvard
stands. A moment later, when the Yale
men, headed by the tow-headed captain,
Rodgers, raced into the Enclosure, a storm
of hysterical enthusiasm went up from
across the eridiron