Yale Runs Away From Varsity, 39-6, To End Year With Unbeaten Record

"I guess we can't keep it a secret any longer," Yale football coach Jordan Olivar said after Saturday's game, "this is the best team I have had at Yale." The Elis had just beaten Harvard, 39 to 6, to close out their first unbeaten season since 1923.

The Crimson had entered the contest with something approaching high hopes, despite the Bulldogs' unblemished record and a Harvard season that had not lived up to glorious expectations. But Yale was just too big, too strong, too good for a Crimson squad that made too many mistakes. It would have taken a flawless and inspired performance for Harvard to win, and the varsity--even with Charlie Ravenel back and surprisingly effective--couldn't come up with this kind of game.

Everyone had agreed in pre-game analyses that Yale was a team ready and able to take advantage of any break that came its way. The Crimson, which has been giving away breaks all year, contributed a few in the first half, and that was all that the Elis needed to take command of the game.

Yale won the toss, and chose to kick with the wind at its back. The choice paid off within three minutes, as the Crimson was forced to punt and Bruce McIntyre's weak kick, held up by the wind, traveled only six yards. On the Elis first play from scrimmage, quarterback Tom Singleton faked to fullback Bob Blanchard and handed to halfback Ken Wolfe, who went 41 yards for a touchdown behind blocks from Mike Pyle, Ben Balme, and John Hutcherson.

Ravenel Comes In

The Crimson was not dead yet, chiefly because the Elis uncharacteristically fumbled away another break. On the next series of downs, Wolfe intercepted a short, wobbly Ted Halaby pass, but Lou Muller fumbled on the following play, and Glenn Haughie recovered for Harvard on the 49. Ravenel entered the game at this point, and the Crimson showed some signs of life.

With Ravenel himself running for nine yards on a fourth down play, the varsity moved to a first down on the Yale 20. But on a double reverse a hand-off from Hobie Armstrong to Tom Boone wound up in Pyle's hands, and the Crimson's most promising first half threat was killed.

A little later, after Bill Swinford had intercepted a Singleton pass, the varsity was back at midfield, but, on the first play of the second quarter, the Elis got their second big break. Ravenel went back to pass, and, apparently finding all downfield receivers covered, tossed a backward pass for Tom Boone. Hutcherson (who "just happened to be there," according to Olivar) grabbed the ball in full flight and went all the way untouched. The saddest part was Ravenel, obviously still bothered by his knee trouble, in futile pursuk of the Eli end.

Although Terry Bartolet did some good passing and Ravenel sparked a last minute drive into the scoring column, that was just about it for the Crimson. Yale intercepted two more passes, including a magnificent defensive play by Muller on a Bartolet toss for Hank Hatch. Hatch was behind his man, and the pass was over the Eli halfback's head, but Muller saved almost sure touchdown with a perfectly timed leap.

Bartolet was four for tell in his passing, with three of the incomplete passes dropped by Crimson receivers. In addition, the sophomore quarterback came up with second quarter runs of eleven and twelve yards.

Some Good Moments

Bartolet, the line play of Swinford and Bob Pillsbury, and Ravenel's fourth quarter drive ranked high among the few Crimson bright spots. For the record, the rest of the Yale scoring, which all came before the Harvard touchdown, went as follows:

Ed Kaake kicked a field goal from the 23, just before the end of the first half, after an Eli drive from their own 22.

Blanchard went over from one foot out at 11:56 of the third quarter, after Singleton had intercepted a Ravenel pass and returned it to the Harvard 29.

Connie Shimer scored on a fifteen-yard pass from Bill Leckonby, following a 40-yard punt return by Henry Higdon.

Another Leckonby-Shimer pass (for 3 yards) completed the Yale scoring, after a centering pass from Charlie Nyhan went over McIntyre's head, and was recovered for Yale on the Harvard 29.

After this touchdown, Ravenel went back in for one last appearance and moved the Crimson 65 yards in four plays for its only score. The key play was a pass from Ravenel to Pete Hart, which carried 58 yards to the Yale three-yard line. Two plays later, Ravenel took it over himself. The time was 14:16.

Ravenel's touchdown gave him 26 points for three Harvard-Yale games and placed him third behind Eddie Mahan and Charlie Brickley in all-time series scoring. It was some small consolation for Charlie and for Harvard fans on this generally bleak Saturday.Crimson end BOB BOYDA (left) sits on bench while secod team sees action on field. Both the Crimson and Yale virtually emptied their benches at the end of the game, with the varsity's lone touchdown coming with Charlie Ravenel quarterbacking a team composed chiefly of third stringers.