YALE, 12; HARVARD, 0.

At New Haven on Saturday, the Harvard eleven after fighting heroically to the last ditch against a team vastly superior in strength of attack and general knowledge of football, was defeated by Yale 12 to 0. One touchdown was scored in each half, the first after Yale in twenty-eight minutes of actual play had three times rushed the ball nearly half the length of the field, against an increasingly stubborn defense; the second after a blocked kick by Harvard late in the second half. Yale was decisively superior in the power and unity of her attack, strong on defense and far better grounded in the fundamentals of the game. Harvard's offense lacked the coherence essential to effectiveness and the few substantial gains made were the result of brilliant individual work unaided by interference, and occasional spontaneous developments of team play from the exigencies of a desperate situation. In defense, on the contrary, the Harvard team played till the whistle blew for the last time a truly heroic game, a game in which by sheer grit and pluck in the face of insuperable seconds eleven men time and again stayed off a finally inevitable defeat at the hands of one of the best teams which ever played for Yale.

In punting, Yale gained a slightly greater total distance, but Sperry was hampered on several occasions by poor passes and an inadequate defensive formation, which allowed one punt to be entirely and another partially blocked. Harvard was outclassed in straight rushing in the first half, in which Yale gained by this means a net distance of 138 yards to Harvard's 4. Both teams kicked more in the second half; in this Yale in 29 rushes made a net gain of only 49 yards and Harvard in 26 finishes gained a net distance of 52 yards.

The Yale eleven played without doubt the best game it was capable of. Its fierce attack, thwarted again and again by a fiercer defense, was each time renewed with an increased intensity that made it finally irresistible. On the defense, Yale's play was as determined and effective as Harvard's, but less conspicuous because fully expected, while Harvard's defensive strength stood out because of the record of previous games as a complete surprise. Neither team gained much ground on trick plays and gains by quarterback runs were with one or two exceptions limited to two or three yards each.

Harvard's attack was in the first half totally inadequate against a powerful rush line like Yale's and secured but one first down; and the failure of the few end plays tried was to be expected from the lack of effective interference as well as from the uncertainty of footing on a slippery field. In the second half, by the hardest kind of individual work and an occasional welding together into something like effective team play the eleven made short but consistent gains. The defense, excellent throughout except in kick formations, taxed Yale's superior offensive strength to the limit till the last play of the game, and was, unexpectedly, the redeeming feature of the team's play. Against opponents of uniformly greater experience the line men played a far better game than they were believed to be capable of; and when Yale's powerful mass plays succeeded in penetrating the line, the secondary defense repeatedly threw the runner back for no gain or a loss. For its plucky, unflinching, uphill fight continued only more resolutely when defeat had become certain, the team cannot receive too high praise. Throughout the game, in its remarkable defensive strength, its glimpses of a powerful attack, and its indomitable spirit, the Harvard team showed possibilities which if rightly developed would almost surely have won victory instead of defeat.

For Yale, the general work of both ends was conspicuously effective, and Shevlin's running back of punts was the best in the game. Rockwell at quarterback sustained his reputation for generalship and gave an unusual amount of aid to the runner. Hogan and Bloomer opened up good holes and were strong in defense, but their play was not conspicuous because of the effectiveness of their opponents.

Of the Harvard players, Captain Hurley was unquestionably foremost in knowledge of the game, in speed and aggressiveness on the offense, in dash and reliability of his defensive play, and in the unconquerable spirit with which he led his team. He gained Harvard's only first down in the first half practically unaided, and made the most and longest gains in the second. His brilliant tackles were the most spectacular plays of the game and time after time stopped Yale's attacks on all parts of the Harvard line. Mills, too, played a brilliant game. His tackling in the open and his work in the secondary defense left little to be desired. Sperry had few chances to carry the ball, but he was reliable in defense and his kicking was thoroughly creditable in view of poor defense and unreliable passing. Starr ran the team well and was sure in handling punts. His one fumble was due to a poor pass from centre. Randall played a hard, reliable game, Montgomery, pitted against an end of national reputation, played his position with credit, and Matthews was fast in getting down under kicks, deadly in tackling and effective in breaking up interference. Derby and Brill bore the brunt of Yale's attack in the first half and both contested every inch gained through them. Squires at guard was one of the strongest men in the line and at tackle was still more effective. White played aggressively and with splendid spirit, and Parker at centre passed well and was not outplayed by Roraback, and at guard, made a good showing against a much older player.

Roraback kicked off to Randall who brought the ball back 18 yards to Harvard's 28-yard line. Mills failed to gain at centre and Sperry tried left end but was thrown by Shevlin for a loss of 5 yards. Sperry punted to Yale's 47-yard line and Rockwell ran the ball back 10 yards. Flinn on his first try failed to gain through Derby, but on the next went through him for 3 yards. Morse got 6 yards through Brill, and then, with Bloomer back, made 2 more, to Harvard's 41-yard line. Hogan made 2 yards between Derby and Squires. Morse on a formation play went through Harvard's right wing for 5 yards and followed with 3 more, taking the ball to Harvard's 32-yard line. Flinn gained 4 yards and Hogan 6 more through centre. Yale fumbled but recovered the ball and Morse went through Derby for 3 yards. Hogan made only 1 yard at centre and the ball went to Harvard on downs at her 18-yard line. Hurley made 3 yards through Hogan. Sperry gained 1 yard and then punted to Yale's 50-yard line, where Hoyt caught the ball and after dodging Montgomery ran back to Harvard's 43-yard line, where he was tackled by Hurley. With Bloomer back, Flinn was sent through right tackle for 3 yards. Morse made 5 more in the same place, bringing the ball to Harvard's 35-yard line. Morse and Flinn by fierce plunges through both tackles carried the ball to Harvard's 21-yard line, but on the next down Morse was thrown back by Mills without gain. In 3 rushes Flinn carried the ball to Harvard's 12-yard line but fumbled on the last try. Mills picked up the ball and ran 14 yards, but was thrown by Hogan on Harvard's 26-yard line. On a tandem play Mills went through centre for 2 yards. On a delayed pass Hurley tried left end but fumbled when tackled and Starr recovered the ball on Harvard's 24-yard line. Sperry punted to Yale's 50-yard line. Hoyt ran the ball back 5 yards and then punted to Harvard's 12-yard line where Starr was downed without gain by Shevlin. A quarterback run gained 1 yard and Hurley was then thrown through centre for 6 more. Sperry and Mills each made 2 yards. On the next play Sperry got through but was tackled with such force that he dropped the ball and Hogan fell on it at Harvard's 27-yard line. Yale in a succession of fierce line-attacks carried the ball by short gains to Harvard's 15-yard line, and on the next play, with the whole of Harvard's left wing blocked off, Morse went through outside Brill to the 5-yard line. Yale was called back for holding, however, and a penalty of 15 yards took the ball to Harvard's 30-yard line. Hoyt dropped back as if to try for a goal from the field. The pass was high and instead of kicking he tried to circle Montgomery's end, but Hurley broke through and threw him for a loss of 8 yards. Yale tried rushing but could not gain and it was Harvard's ball on downs on her own 35-yard line. Sperry, with Derby back, failed to gain through the line and then on a double pass was thrown for a loss of 4 yards. He then punted to Yale's 40-yard line, from which Hoyt ran the ball in 14 yards. Short plunges by Morse and Flinn and a 5-yard penalty for offside by Harvard carried the ball to Harvard's 42-yard line. On a wing-shift play Shevlin went around left end for 4 yards. Morse in two plays through Brill and Derby gained 4 more. Then, with Bloomer back, Shevlin made 3 yards on a second try at left end, bringing the ball to Harvard's 31-yard line. From this point against a stubborn resistance Yale careered the ball by straight line plunges for 2 and 3 yard gains to Harvard's 5-yard line. Here Harvard was penalized half the remaining distance to the goal line for interference with centre. Hogan gained only a yard at centre but on the next try Morse was pushed through outside right tackle for a touchdown, after 28 minutes of actual play. Hoyt kicked an easy goal. Score: Yale, 6; Harvard, 0.

Matthews went in for Randall and Shevlin ran in the kick-off 33 yards from his 5-yard line. Hoyt was thrown by Sperry without gain, and Flinn made 5 yards through centre on a fake kick. On a quarterback run around Montgomery, Rockwell gained 11 yards. Yale was then forced to punt and Starr ran the ball back 10 yards to Harvard's 25-yard line. Harvard, in turn, had to punt and Hoyt, catching the ball at Yale's 45-yard line, was downed in his tracks by Montgomery. Derby was then taken out and Parkinson went in at centre, Parker going from centre to left guard, White from left to right guard and Squires to right tackle. Hogan went through centre for 8 yards and Flinn around right end for 4 more to Harvard's 53-yard line. Flinn fumbled the next play and Hurley fell on the ball. Starr fumbled and Shevlin got the ball for Yale on Harvard's 49-yard line. After one play Shevlin in an attempt to run from his position around Harvard's left end was thrown by Brill for a loss of 1 yard. The half ended with the ball in Yale's possession on Harvard's 45-yard line.

In the second half the teams lined up without change. Shevlin caught the kick-off on Yale's 8-yard line and ran back 20 yards. He was tackled so hard by Matthews that he dropped the ball, but Neal recovered it. Hoyt at once punted to Starr on Harvard's 47-yard line. Brill fumbled and Neal again secured the ball for Yale. Flinn got 1 yard at centre, and Morse 5 behind Bloomer. Bloomer took the ball but was thrown back for a loss of 1 yard. Hogan made 2 yards at centre and Hoyt kicked out of bounds at Harvard's 35-yard line. Mills got through Kinney for 5 yards and Brill and Hurley made 3 yards in two rushes. Sperry was sent back to punt but because of a high pass got off the kick with great difficulty, the ball going to Harvard's 50-yard line. Shevlin in an attempt to run around the opposite end from his position was stopped by Matthews with a gain of only 1 yard. A series of line plays, in which Morse, Flinn and Bloomer carried the ball, and a gain of 3 yards by Rockwell around right end brought the ball to Harvard's 10-yard line. From this point, Yale's powerful line attacks yielded shorter and shorter gains, and on Harvard's 1-yard line Yale lost the ball on down. Sperry dropped back of the goal line to punt but the pass was low and he barely got off the kick. Rockwell caught the ball at Harvard's 34-yard line but was instantly downed by Matthews with such force that he dropped the ball. Yale claimed interference with a fair catch and received a penalty of 15 yards. Yale then rushed the ball from Harvard's 20-yard line to her 15-yard line but then lost 15 yards for holding. Rockwell tried a quarterback kick. Starr catching the ball on Harvard's 20-yard line. After Brill had gained 3 yards, Hurley fumbled and Shevlin fell on the ball on Harvard's 25-yard line. Rockwell on a quarterback run gained 2 yards. Line attacks by Morse and Flinn were repulsed by Harvard's secondary defense; and the ball went to Harvard on downs on her 23-yard line. Squires made 5 yards in two plunges and Hurley 2 and 3 through Hogan, but the last play was called back and Harvard was penalized 5 yards for offside. The ball was now on Harvard's 27-yard line. Mills failed to gain and Sperry fell back to punt. Parker's pass was wild and Kinney blocked the kick. Bloomer snatched up the ball and ran to Harvard's 2-yard line before he was stopped by Mills with a beautiful dive-tackle. On Yale's next play Bloomer was thrown back 1 yard. Bloomer was then brought back and Flinn carried the ball over for Yale's second touchdown. Hoyt kicked the goal. Score--Yale, 12; Harvard, 0.

After Matthews' place had been taken by Pruyn, Shevlin ran Sperry's kick-off in 19 yards to his 29-yard line. Parker stopped a fake kick without gain and Hoyt punted to Starr, who ran the ball back 11 yards from Harvard's 43-yard line. One rush by Mills and three by Hurley took the ball to Yale's 43-yard line where it was lost on a fumble. On Yale's second play Hoyt on a fake kick was thrown for a loss of 5 yards. Yale lost 15 yards for holding and Hoyt punted to his own 51-yard line. Brill made 3 yards and Hurley failed to gain. Sperry's attempted kick was partially blocked and the ball rolled along the ground until Sperry fell on it on Yale's 30-yard line. Harvard could not gain by rushing and Starr kicked to Flinn on Yale's 27-yard line. Yale in turn was forced to kick and Squires got the ball on Harvard's 45-yard line. Nichols went in for Sperry and on his first try got 1 yard around right end. After a short gain by Mills, an exchange of punts left the ball in Harvard's possession on her 52-yard line. Nichols in two plays through centre took the ball to Yale's 50-yard line. Noyes replaced Starr. Unable to make first down, Harvard punted and the ball rolled over Yale's goal line. From his 20-yard line Hoyt punted out to Mills, who ran back 5 yards to Harvard's 50-yard line. On a double pass Nichols was brought down by Neal for an 8-yard loss. Nichols then dropped back for a kick but the pass went over his head. The ball rolled toward the Harvard goal line but Nichols picked it up and on a wide run brought it in to his 35-yard line, where time was called.

The summary:

HARVARD.  YALE.Montgomery, r.e.  l.e., ShevlinDerby, Squires, r.t.  l.t., BloomerSquires, White, r.g.  l.g., KinneyParker, Parkinson, c.  c., RorabackWhite, Parker, l.g.  r.g., Tripp, FlandersBrill, l.t.  r.t., HoganRandall, Matthews, Pruyn, l.e.  r.e., NealStarr, Noyes, q.b.  q.b., RockwellHurley, r.h.b.  l.h.b., Hoyt Sperry, Nichols, l.h.b.  r.h.b., MorseMills, f.b.  f.b., Flin