The Lacrosse Championship.

The moderately warm weather of Saturday afternoon, tempered by a cooling breeze from the east, was almost perfect for lacrosse playing, and the Harvard team, as they came on Jarvis at 3 o'clock, dressed in their new uniforms with sleeveless white jerseys, looked the picture of comfort. The Princeton men, in their uniforms of black jerseys and white breeches, contrasting well with that of their opponents, looked warmer than our men. The composition of the two teams was as follows: Princeton, goal, H. Hodge; point, McKechnie; cover-point, Nicholson; defence field, Ranney, Bell, S. Hodge; centre, R. Hodge; attack field, Riggs, Harlan and Spence; homes. P. Gamble, (captain), and Blakemore. Harvard, goal, Easton, L. S.; point. Rueter, L. S.; cover-point, Williams (captain); defence field, Nichols, L. S., Goodale, '85; Gardner, '87; centre, Hood, '86; attack field, Dudley, '87; Blodgett. '87; homes, Noyes, '85; Woods, '85, and Twombly, L. S.

At twenty minutes past Mr. Paton, the referee, placed the ball between the crosses of Hood and Dick Hodge and called play. Hood was successful in getting the ball and sent it at once towards the Princeton goal. Back it came in a few minutes, and the Harvard defence showed their mettle by the skilfull way in which they got the ball when it came near their goal and sent it flying back with well directed long throws, while their Princeton opponents thwacked ineffectually at their arms and sticks. The Harvard homes had several good chances to score, as they also got the ball away from the Princeton men, but they failed to make goals, either shooting wide or making some slip which allowed the other side to get back the ball. After twenty-nine minutes had been played out the two Harvard defence men hesitated at a critical moment, and Gamble, the Princeton captain rushed in, secured the ball and tipped it to Blakemore, who shot it between the flags and secured the first goal.

Sides were changed, and the Princeton men, encouraged by their success, made a brilliant dash for our goal. In the confusion which resulted, Gamble got a clean shot, and scored goal number two for Princeton, after three minutes play.

As the game was to be best three out of five goals, the atmosphere looked very blue for Harvard about this time. The play of our twelve continued as steady as at the beginning, and the team put out some of their up hill energy and the attack began to show what they could do. They now worked for a purpose, and a good shot by Woods drove the ball past H. Hodge and goal one for Harvard was safe. Time, 8 minutes. Hood was the next fortunate man, running the ball down from centre he gave it a swift whirl while Harvard checked Princeton's sticks, and it went through the flags, and the score was tied; time of goal, 17 minutes.

Harvard was playing all around Princeton at this part of the game, and the latter team appeared badly demoralized, failing to cover and rushing about wildly after the ball. The team play of Harvard stood out in contrast, the men working together and showing head-work which surprised their friends. Four minutes after the tieing goal had been made, Twombly lobbed the ball from behind the Princeton flags, and Noyes, who stood in front waiting for it, batted it through. This won the game, and the spectators set up a set of cheers for the well-earned victory.

Princeton presented almost the same team which won for the orange and black the championship pennant of 1884, and the style of play and ability of the men were the same as last year. The reason that Harvard won this year was that the team was stronger, and played with some system, something which it lacked a year ago. The defence were much less liable to be rattled than formerly, but can still afford to keep a little more nerve on hand when a desperate rush is made upon them. The centre fielders played all around their opponents and did the most efficient work ever done by Harvard men in that position. The attack, although laboring under the disadvantage of having poor or new sticks, had a style and finish about their play also superior to that of former years.