The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-10-20
HARVARD WINS
FROM MIDDIES
IN POOR GAME
Gets Touchdown Largely Through Nays Constant
Fumbing--Forward Pass Sometimes Successful
But Frequently Disastrous.
By THOMAS S. RICE.
Harvard, 9; Naval Academy, 0.

yesterday ng DllC LOuClltA0WAi anu q 5kstis
the first ten minutes OF The first half
For the rest OF the game the Crimson
was as mUcn up a stump as If il had
been playing Pennsylvania. The score
showed exactly the difference in the
quality Of football Of the two teams.
II vas a great treat for the large
crowd Of outsiders from baltimore,
Washington, Philadelphia, and other
cities, and there was hardly a minute
when the spectators were not drawing
long breaths OF anxious suspense, but
from d technical football standpoint. il
could hardly have beer called a credit
abba exhibition. Plumbing was the main
fault on both sides. but the AIiddies had
tie knack of not catching tho ball re-
duced TO the finest possible point. 1t
was a tumble that gave Harvard IFS
o1,Iv touchdown. When they did hold
the pigskin they were so surprised they
did not know which way tc turn
Forward Pass Uncertain.
Harvard tried The forward pass and
on-side Kick constantly, but with con-
paratively little success. although the
gains were numerous. The trouble was
that the Nfiddies. had a habit of get
ting In the way OF tire pass. knocking it
down. and falling on It before the Har-
ward man for whom the ball was des-
aned could reach his position within
the enemy's line Nothing but the but
Ter fingers of the Mtddies prevented
them from profting in a most unseeniy
manner from these throws that were
intended for their undOing.
Harvard did not show the steadiness
and crushing ability expected by her
rooters IN the early part Of the game
she had things pretty much her oWa
way, but suddenly the MILDLY line took
a brace on the left side and became inn
nregnabIe. Now and then a gain was
made through the right side. which was
demolished by Burr and Parker. but
these advances were not consistent
enough to be relied upon for ten yards
in three downs, and the Crimson had
TO resort 10 the uncertain trick plays.
Good Thing Goes Wrong.
The AuddIes, while Numerically weak
on handling punts and throws, and in
falling on the ball, were fast. game. and
persistent which kept Harvard in the
air. For instance, in the first half
shortly before the touchdown. Harvard
mace a forward pass which Melted the
Middies twenty yards, the bali going
straight into the hands OF a future ad-
mlraI, who was as much astonished as
the Crimson was chagrined.
Harvard's interference was away
above that Of the Middies on open field
running. except in rare instances. The
Crimson athletes assembled In front Of
the man with the ball, ran hard and
aggressively, and when a would-be
taciler crossed their path he was
5owled over in great shape. Still, the
ruHbacks were comparatively short. and
the best work in this department was
done by Douglass, for the Navy, who
proved himself still the wonderful ath-
lete he was before his leg was broken.
Douglass received fair support from his
fellows when he was sprinting up the
field, but his achievements were mostly
due to his innate ability, and not to the
assistance extended him
Middies' Miserable Tackling.
Another element which helped Harvard
TO make as good a showing as she did
was the high tacBling OF the Niddies.
They went after their men as If they
were getting a running start in climb
ing a creased pole. The top of the
head was the favorite point of attack.
bHt if that could not be reached they
Crimson runners around the neck.
Specimens Of clean cut, thus-far-and=
nO-farther tacklinE on the part of the
Admirals were sadly lacking. Harvard,
on the other hand, tackled hard and
low when the opportunity was offered,
but tn, Middies are slippery if nothing
else, and it was a difficult matter to
pick the method Of going after them.
Il he opvfzr mart Of tho sao,-<z E,,ra
the Navy weakened and its cheering
section was decidedly gloomy. despite
the constant yells. Harvard hit the
line, ran around the ends and recovered
kicks as a matter Of course until the
ball was dangerously near the MILDLY
goal when all Of a sudden. the AIiddies
got busy. broke through on trick plays, |
interfere6 with kicks, blocking two in
succession, and in the constant exchange
Of the ball on fumbles, kicks and for
ward passes gradually worked it to the
center Of the field. There Harvard per-
sisted in its kicking and forward pass
ing, the Middies went into a committee
OF the whole on fumbling, the line
sWayed. the ends slowed up, and Har-
ward got the ball TO the Navy I5-yard |
line.
Douglass Shines.
Then came DorcIass to the fore. With
two runs which netted thirty-five or
forty yards, he carried the ball to the
center again, and made a record for the /
most consistent gains of the day. Time
was called with the heroes in the center /
of the gridiron.
It was interesting, it was exciting
but it was Disappointing Nearly every
man, woman, and child present was a !
rank partisan Of one team or the other /
on general principles, or for its special |
matches, as Nays with West Point /
and Harvard's with Yale, but the adj /
herents Of both were jolted to find their |
idols not nearly so strong as they ex- /
pected and their work marred by faults /
which should not be so glaringIy ap- 1
parent in teams Of their standing.
Parker and Burr were towers Of /
strength TO Harvard. and forced the
Aiiddies TO depend almost entirely upon