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Weeks of the hardest kind of work and effort were rewarded Saturday when Harvard's football eleven rose to inspired heights to claw the Princeton Tiger into submission and earn a 14-14 tie.
When Russ Allen place kicked the ball squarely between the goal poets with the tying point, after Bob Stuart had hauled down Oakes' perfect pass on the Princeton 15 yard line, and scampered across the last white line unmolested, football at Harvard really came into its own again for the first time in almost four years. Those final hectic two minutes, curing which the Crimson marched 87 yeards to score, climaxed an afternoon's performance that reminded the frenzied Harvard stands of the best of Haughton's storied teams.
Any eleven that holds the much vaunted Orange squad six times inside the 20 yard line and twice inside the five, has to have something besides inspired fight, and any team that can stage two marches of 41 yards and 87 yards through the air and through the line has to have something besides "prayer passes", and on the basis of their work Saturday the future looks bright indeed for the Harvard squad.
Harlow's team did something no team has been able to do against Princeton for over two years, when Mal McTernen shot around the Tiger flank to score standing up. The great majority of touchdowns, few and far between, that have been chalked up against the New Jersey eleven since Fritz Crisler took command, have all been made through the air, or as a result of running back punts.
Nor was this all--Harvard was the first team to score twice against Princeton since Michigan turned the trick in 1932, and Saturday's score represents the first points the Crimson has tallied against Princeton in 16 years.
It is hard to single anyone out as outstanding on the Crimson team, but mention must be made of the three "iron men", Captain Jim Gaffney, Al Kevorkian, and Bob Green, the entire left side of the line, who played the full sixty minutes without relief. Gaffney, who lost 11 pounds during the encounter, dropped in his tracks when the final whistle sounded. Kevorkian was named the outstanding lineman on the field by Fritz Crisler immediately after the game.
Tim Russell, in at center because of Bob Jones' stay at the Infirmary, turned in an outstanding game in every respect. Nee, Kessler, Jameson, and Booth on the right side of the line also played the best they have all year, Roberts, Wilson, and particularly McTernen, in the first half were responsible for Harvard's long march to the first touchdown. Roberts' passing under fire, and Don Daughter's reception were well nigh perfect.
In the second half, Bill Watt's work at full may well gain him the starting call in the remaining games. He picked the holes carefully and hit with terrific force to gain first downs on at least two occasions. And of course the Oakes to Stuart passing combination clicked in the fourth quarter to the extent of over 30 years for the all-important second touchdown.
But even more pleasing to the coaches than the greatly improved offensive work, was the defensive power of the team. Although aided by Princeton fumbling at one point and a penalty at another, the line stiffened whenever the Tiger got within hailing distance of the goal, and held for downs. It was a far cry from last year, when, at the end of a march that had carried them to the Crimson three yard line, Princeton chose to try a place kick on a last down, rather than attempt another buck through the line.
It should be a vastly different story from now on, and provided there isn't a serious let-down next week, and also provided the team continues to improve and can maintain the spirited play it demonstrated the stands should be treated to not only one, but possibly two major victories this season.
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