The Washington herald., 1906-11-27


were no false moves in the Yale attack or
defense, and the right thing was done
at the right time, and as a consequence
victory perched on the banner OF the
better aggregation.
That the contest might have resulted In
tie or closer score had Harvard S
quarter back used better judgment in the
selection of his plays, seems possible.
Certainly there was nothing in the attack
ing methods Of the Cambridge team TO
support the reports that had preceded it
10 New Haven. The leader of the eleven
was guilty of stupidity not only in his
individual play. but in his direction Of
the Harvard offense.
The field goal tried by Newhall in the
iirst few minutes OF play. after the Yale
team had been forced back to its &c
yard line. appeared ill-judged. and the at
tempted drive was so poorly executed that
the blocked kick which resulted spoiled
Harvard's only chance of scoring IN the
first half During the second period Of
play there were three times when Weed
er's punts were caught by Harvard play
ers on or close TO Yale's 30-yard line
and not once WAS a fair catch BignaIed
Tor or attempted In view of the state
ments made by the Crimson adherents
that Burr, Parker, Wendell, and NewhaH
were all expert kickers Of field goals from
drop and placement. the refusal to take
advantage Of these opportunities appears
ineXplicable unless IL is taken for granted
that in their eagerncss to win from Yale
the Cambridge players forgot their cum
ming.
Harvard's Defense Strong.
The defensive play Of Harvard was far
superior to anything in the way of attack
that was unlimited by the Crimson.
Time and again the heavy yet rangy
forwards broke through the ELS line. and
fairly smothered the Blue backs before
they could get under way. and at other
times the whole Crimson scTimmage
seven appeared TO roll back the Blues
smashing charges with little apparent ef-
fort. II was when the team had the ball
that II appeared at its worst Their trick
plays 10 deceive the Els were not rs well
worked as those Of Princeton, and with
few exceptions were solved by the Oppos-
ing tackles and ends as soon as they were
under way. The runner frequently left
his Interference, which has always been
a fault Of Harvard teams, while at other
made TO afford protection TO the man
carrying the ball There was nothing in
the line-smashiug attacks OF Harvard to
Indicate that the eleven could have won
the contest had It been played under the
old yards in three downs system, in
stead OF I90 yards IN a similar number OF
tries. Yale's old-fashioned drives, on the
other hand, frequently netted all tho
distance required under the 1868 rules. and
in the second half the Bulldog was max
ing 10 Yards in three downs when time
was called.
Burr Clever In PuntinR.
In passing the ball back for punts
HockenbeTger did better work than either
Parker or Frazer. while the defense given
to Veeder was better conceived and exc
cuted than that which was built Up about
Burr. In fact. Il was due 20 the latteTs
GOODNESS under the most trying charges
that he was able 10 get many OF his kicks
away, for at times II appeared that the
Yale chargers reached Burr but a second
later than the spheroid. In protecting the
catcher of punts Yale showed 20 better
advantage than Harvard, and when once
the ball was In hand the manner IN which
the Eli protectors gathered about their
team mate who was starting to run the
kick back was the best seen AZ any East
ern game this fall. To all this must be
added the Cleverness with which the Blue
players followed the ball. In this respect
tney surpassed the work Of any eleven
this season, with the possible exception Of
the Indians. Yale players appeared to be
everywhere under ouside kicks and for
ward passes, as well as constantly on the
alert Cor fumbles. and when the ball was
dropped by n Harvard man II fell, as a
rule. into Yale hands.
Tricks in Forward Passes.
The forward passes made by Harvard
appeared TO be more complicated affairs
than those engineered by Yale. Two and
sometimes three players figured in the
trick, and at that the toss was neither so
much Of a ground coverer or so well exc
cuted as were the Els filings. Veeder. who
always figured IN this play for the Blue,
masked his designs so well that there was
reason to believe that almost any kind OF
play except q forward pass was coming
of before he shot the ball ahead. Then.
too, his passes were really young punts.
so far were they hurled. In the play
touchdown he stepped back on the third
down as II 20 punt or try for drop kick,
which was the logical thing to do under
the circumstances. Then with the ball in
his hands he appeared to suddenly change
his mind, and threw the Crimson ranks
into confusion BY starting on what was
apparently wide sweeping end run. The
Harvard players swept over toward the
left side Of the field 10 intercept him.
when sGddenly he stopped dead in his
tracks and. turning. hurled the ball far
over the heads Of the cOntending teams
almost TO Harvdrd's goal line. The play
was exceptionally well conceived and
equally we'll executed, and Alcott who
caught the heave, came within an ace of
scoring without the aid Of another line
up. As it was, he was not downed until
he was on the CrimsOns' 4-yard line The
new football play had brought the ball to
Harv8rd's line, and the old smashing,
driving play of past years Immediately
converted the advance into a score.