Evening star., 1919-12-28
HARvARD-0REGON
GAME FORERUNNER
OF NEW GRID ERA
January | Clash on Coast
Augurs Greater Heights for
Foot Ball in 1920.


though the intercollegiate foot ball
season of 1920 is still some nine
months away the prospects Of Il rec
ord gridiron session during the COM
ing year are clearly indicated by
the playing of the Harvard-Oregon
game at Pasadena. Cal, on New Year
Day as part of the rose carnival In
many respects this contest is the most
unusual ever staged and the break
ing down of generation-old foot ball
traditions bears out the fact, demon
strated in the latest schedules. that
the sport will reach a pinnacle next
season never approached in the past,
While there have been numerous
intersectional foot ball games in other
years ana the playing of eastern col
lege eievenS on Pacific coast grid
irons is not unprecedented. the ap-
pearance of team from one of the
Oldest and most famous of Americas
universities in this role is A decided
advance and recognition of the ever
Increasing scope of the autumn sport.
No championship is at stake and the
claim is not made that the two
eievens are the best in their respective
sections. They were. however,
ranked high at the close of their sea-
sons and can be accepted as fully
representative elevens of the Atlantic
and Pacific coast type of play.
Both Have Good Recorda.
Oregon won five out of six games
played during the 1919 schedule and
was scored upon in three Others.
Harvard took part in nine game.
won eight and was tied by Princeton
In the other contest. The total scor-
ing against the Crimson consisted Of
two field goals. and one Touchdown
made in the Yale and Princeton games.
There is no way in which TO obtain
a line upon the respective strength OF
oregon and Harvard, even through
the unsatisfactory method of compar-
ative scores, for the institutions are
SO widely separated that a mutual
opponent was out of the question.
In the few Atlantic VS.. Pacific
played to date the advantage rests
with the Pacific institution elevens
In 1915 Washington defeated Brown
IA to 0. The following Year Oregon
defeated Pennsylvania by similar
score. During 1916 Syracuse made a
tour of the far west. defeating Oc-
cidential College 35 to o and Oregon
Aggies % to 0. Previous to reach
ing the coast. Montana had tied the
Syracuse combination in 6 to &
game. In 1917 and 1919 Syracuse
played Nebraska, winning the first
game 10 to 9 and losing the second
3 to o. These games constitute a
majority of the contests involving Tar
western trips by eastern colleges.
While Harvard has never made such
an extended trip an intersectionak
game is not an innovation for the
Crimson, for Harvard and Michigan. to
cite only one case, have met in four
games In 1881 the Wolverines were
defeated to %; in 1883. to o. in
1885. 4 to o. and in 1914 Harvard
its quartet of victories by
winning to 0.
Crimson Had Easy Schedule.
Harvard had an easv schedule this
year. and until the Princeton game
on November 8 did not have to ex-
tend itself Crimson teams are de-
veloped physically through a sea
son with the idea solely Of having
them in condition to play their best
against their old rivals of Yale. All
other games are taken "in stride" A
result of this. combined with an easy
is that the Harvard team
is expected to be able to pick UP
again for the post-season contest
much easier than teams which have
been trained for several special games
in a season of hard play. "Pooch"
Donovan, trainer of Crimson teams
for many years, said before he left,
with the eleven for the coast: my
boys ourht to be in top form by
New Yea l don't think they have
been at their highest yet this year
I'll bring them along. I'm sure. and
Wen make California's milder climate
help, instead of retard us"
The eastern team will outweigh
Oregon on the line. but will have
lighter backfield. Harvard's line ad-
in poundage will be consid-
cradle, probably 100 pounds from end
to end. or an average of about I
pounds to a man. In the backfield
shortcoming in weight is
represented by the difference between
the 155 pounds OF Casey. its slight
star, and the ITS pounds OF Branden-
berg. his Oregon opponent.
The eastern college game this year
was a varied one. 1t included some
tack. some Of the more advanced tac-
tics of forward and lateral passing,
and a freer use of the punt and kick.
both for the strategy which looks
to ultimate advantage and the more
direct scoring action OF the held goai.
The Harvard team. as developed oy
Coach Robert T. Fisher, while not the
best Of the eastern colleges in any
Of these several phases of the game.
combined all of them to round out
a method of play.
Showed StOnewall Line.
This gained for the eleven an
eastern reputation as an alert and
brainy combination. It's line, uncer-
tain in mid season, became the pro-
verbal stonewall against Yale. and
by close charging and lifting. mas
tered the heavier and supposedly bet
ter Blue line. Harvard's stand one
foot from its goal against a Yale as
sault, which had carried from mid
field, was one Of the high spots of
the seasons defensive play. The
defense against forward
and lateral pass attack is less OF
Known quantity. Innovations by oregon
nay prove this to be a Harvard weak
spot.
The Crimson scheme Of attack is
we'll assorted one, with deception and
open play developed as the more brill
liant supplement of rush and charge.
Its open game is built largely around
Eddie" Casey. the scintillating back
ield star, choice of Walter Camp Tor
back this year. Casey.
4 slip of a youth by comparison witf
he heavier-set type of player. is ex
,ected to flash as brightly in the west
as he did through Harvard's cam
,aisn in the east. Notwithstanding
hat he was the object Of defensive
attention by several opposing players
N each of Harvard's big games. he
,ame through as the star of each:
In the contest at Pasadena New Year
lay he will be playing his last
.ame under Crimson colors. as his
service in the navy will count toward
degree.
Statistics of Players.
The probable Harvard Oregon lineup
a .%at;Sficc fo1lauv-