Gatto Strafes Baby Tigers In Grid Win

On the sideline fans were calling Vic Gatto the best football player they had ever seen at Harvard. Gatto ran back a kickoff 95 yards and wiggled through the Tiger secondary on a 73-yard screen pass play as Harvard defeated the Princeton freshmen 32-25 Saturday morning.

Gatto was hit hard twice on the kick return before reaching midfield, but he showed great balance and turning speed in shaking loose. The screen pass looked like a big loser, but Gatto escaped from two tacklers and raced past the secondary.

Gatto Intercepts

With less than half a minute remaining in the game, the Tiger freshmen were threatening, but Gatto intercepted a pass on the Crimson 15 to end the drive.

Princeton scored first on a 65-yard march led by the passing and running of single-wing tailback Richard Bracken. Harvard blocked a punt early in that series, but a roughing-the-kicker penalty was marked off. After that play, the Crimson defense simply fell apart.

Gatto seemed to wake everybody up with his big kickoff return. Quarterback Williard Stargel carried on an end run for the two-point conversion, and Harvard was ahead to stay.

John Tyson, another good-looking freshman back, scored next on a 14-yard power play over right guard. Tyson later threw a big block to spring Gatto on the screen pass.

Crimson Troubles

Harvard had trouble handling certain aspects of the Tigers' single wing offense. Tailback Bracken was so effective on reverses and fake reverses that the entire Harvard line sometimes seemed to be moving in the wrong direction.

The fourth quarter Crimson drive which provided the winning touchdown was aided by 54 yards of Tiger penalties. Jim Marshall scored on a one yard dive.

Harvard came close again later in the quarter, but Tyson fumbled on the Tiger one foot line. Bracken was dumped in the end zone on the next play for a safety.

Princeton dominated the last seven minutes of play, scoring on a 15-yard pass from Bracken to Mike Garton. But Gatto squelched their final effort.