The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-11-18
Harvard and Yale in a Hot
Struggle on Soldiers Field.
Both Teams Confident but in Betting
Odds Are in Favor Of the WearerS
Of the Crimson,

Cambridge, Nov. 1S.-With cool in
vigorating weather a well nigh per-
feet field and two of the greatest foot
ball teams in the country, trained to
the hour it is little wonder that over
10000 people In greater Boston started
for Soldiers Field this noon to see the
great annual match between Harvard
and Yale.
Fully three-quarters of those who
sought the great stand perched upon
| the banks of the Charles, wore the
Harvard crimson,a and had their throats
| tuned for long Harvard cheers, while
the remainder, loyal New Haven
| crowd Haunted the blue OF Yale and
were prepared TO urge their favorites
to victory with the well known snappy
yell that has done such great service
in years gone by.
The morning broke frosty and clear,
but by noon the air had softened con-
siderably, while the sky became over
cast and the wind came from the
southwark, blowing almost directly
across the field so that there was little
choice for position.
HARVARD THE FAvoRITE.
While the supporters OF either team
expressed the utmost confidence in the
| ability OF their respective eleyens to
| win, the Harvard claims this morning
! seemed TO have a little surer ring than
those of Yale. Up TO the hour of call
ing the game. as in the weeks gone by
| Harvard remained the favorite in the
betting, although the odds which two
| weeks ago We're two TO one or five to
! three had dwindled to four to three
and five TO four. Few Harvard men
| could forget the long years of success
| i've defeats and while last years great
I victory WIS fresh in their minds still
the Yale push could not be ignored and
! long odds on the crimson were scarce.
| The feature of the day prior to the
| game was the assembly of the crowd.
! Never before In the history of football
/ in this part OF the country has such a
| throng gathered to witness a match.
The people came from every direction,
flocking into Boston early in the morn
ing on special trains from distant
points, and electric and suburban cars
from nearby places. The facilities for
reaching the grounds were better than
ever before and while the field is still
some little distance from any line of
electric cars, few minded the brisk
10 minute walk and many found it just
the right length to warm them for the
afternoons sport.
50 900 TICKETS SOLD.
The management had extended the
great stand considerably. increasing
in fact their seating capacity over a
third. so that nearly $4,000 tickets were
sold for the game. With the enormous
number of tickets sold ii was not sur
! prsing that the spectators succeeded
| in corralling thousands OF the coveted
| u1yteburrt44-7ttttf- fff-Aay- yesterday
/ I.a lEsaI md a.g1,-
! ington street in Boston and about Har-
ward Square.
The Harvard team arose at the usual
| time tIis morning. She idea this year
! being not TO vary the regular life OF the
men. Contrary to former years, there
| fore. the team did not leave Cambridge
| during the last week OF training. but
! kept up their regular college studies
| as If football were everyday occur
renee.
HARVARD MEN CONFIDENT.
At 1880 all the men had a light lunch
! and this differed somewhat from that
II previous years in that no liquid eN-
cept some beef tea was allowed. The
men were all very confident and ap-
| Deared 10 be in great fighting trim. The
| only exception was Boal who this
morning was still in rather bad shape
from his injury received early In the
season. The coaches. however. said
| that they expected that he would last
/ az least one-half. but IL occasion re-
! qulred a. B. Sargent would be put m
/ his place.
| News from the Yale quarters at the
Hotel Vendomc I'm Boston began 20
reach Cambridge early i'm the forenoon
| when the vanguard OF the Sons OF Eli
/ began to drift into Harvard town II
1 was news of an encouraging character
/ from the standpoint Of Yale men, indi-
! eating. as IL did. that the New Haven
/ players had come 90 the day Of their
! big contest I'm the finest kind OF shape
WATCHED HIS MEN.
Trainer Jim Robinson maintained an
| almost vicious espionage over the cor
| ridors I'm that section of the hotel where
! his men had spent the night. and ne
| would permit no Intrusion. SHARPLY at
| 1:45 a. m he awakened his players ana
| three-uuarters OF an hour later they
| eat down 70 "a hearty breakfDst pre-
tt--.i.-f 4lalrl-slon. The morn
4 INC meal finished the men proceeded To
| pass the last long and anxious hours
| prlor 10 their start for the feld. Hy
/ 10 o'clock the coterie Of falthful coach
! ers had apDeared. Al 1850 ihey went
! i0 luncheon.
At 1880 y. m. having dressed. they
we're hustled into borgcs and shortly
| gfterward were on their way To the
| scene OF the battle.
| Meanwhile the coachers and the