Victory Over Purple Eleven Strengthens Varsity Offense

"They made every mistake of commission in the books during that first quarter," said Dick Harlow after the game, "but they're an unpredictable team. They told me between the halves that they were going back out and win this one--and they did."

That was the story of Saturday's triumph in a nutshell: a Harvard team that refused to retire before overwhelming odds of weight and experience, made its own breaks, and snatched victory from a Holy Cross eleven that wanted to win with all its heart.

The way the Crimson played to win should give the squad experience equivalent to about three ordinary games' worth. Harlow's charges had not run up against a line approaching the Crusaders' in quality before Saturday, and it is improbable that they will again this season. With that calibre of opposition behind them, the Cantab runners and passers and the blockers ahead of hem ought to be able to overcome almost any kind of defensive play they face from now on out.

Line Strong on Defense

It was not only defensive tactics on which the Crimson forward wall was able to equal the feats of the Purple bruisers. With a few well-scattered exceptions, the Cantab line kept the H.C. ground attack throttled, with so many of Harlow's linemen looking good that it was almost impossible to select any standouts.

At the tackles, big Eddie Davis stayed in for the full 60 minutes, fighting all the way, while his mate, Ned Dewey, broke through into the Crusader backfield time after time, including once when he blocked Ray Ball's extra point try. The other defensive star was wing Walter Coulson, who kept the Cross powerhouse from sweeping his end all afternoon and had the highest total of tackles on the squad for the day.

Moravec Veers for Score

Offensively, the Cantab line's best single play was on Vinnie Moravec's veer buck for the second touchdown. After advancing to the Purple 12-yard marker on two successive passes from Chip Gannon to Captain Cleo O'Donnell, the Cantabs pulled off the neatly-blocked and neatly-faked off-center line smash that is one of Harlow's favorites. Moravec lunged toward the center of the line, then veered over the left guard hole as Coulson took out the backer-up who had been plugging the gap.

Gannon was once again the outstanding field runner for the Crimson. His second-period interception and run back from his own goal to the 30 took the frying pan out of the fire for the Harlow charges. And his timing of the Crimson's first scoring play was superb: he faded on the optional pass-or-run to the left, saw that he re- Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, and Roger L. Putnam '15, of Springfield, member of the Observatory Visiting Committee. Leon Campbell, instructor in Astronomy and Observatory staff member, will be toastmaster.

Shapley was awarded a Doctor of Science degree by the University in 1933, and holds degrees from five other universities