Greatest Story Ever

In The 113th Game, Harvard created the Victory, and it was Good. And Coach Tim Murphy beheld the Victory, and he was well pleased.

Hopefully, the Harvard football team gained a triumph of Biblical proportions with its 26-21 dispatching of Yale on Nov. 22, 1996.

That victory snapped a three-game Crimson losing streak. More importantly, it exorcised Murphy's 0-10 mark against Ivy opponents at Harvard Stadium.

This year, the Crimson expects to end its 10-year exile from the Ivy championship. The 1997 cast is star-studded: sophomore Rich Linden, the quarterback so good they named a street in Cambridge after him; a defense which allowed a stingy 164 points in 10 games; and sophomore Chris Menick, who rushed for 265 yards and scored five touchdowns against Kyoto in March.

Versatile young team wins league crown. You can't go wrong with a script like that.

Cecil B. DeMille would have fun with this epic. Naturally Charlton Heston plays Coach Murphy. Michael Crichton '64 (MD '69) would write the screenplay.

Now, all the actors need to do is perform. And last year's hail-and-farewell extravaganza against the Bulldogs indicates that they can.

Linden completed 16 of 23 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score. Seniors Brendan Bibro-this year's captain-and Time Fleiszer hauled down Eli tailback Jabbar Craigwell for a safety, highlighting Harvard's aggressive defense.

Clearly, the sound and fury of that November afternoon signified something. Harvard, which had to climb out of more holes than Punxsutawney Phil last year, commandeered a 21-0 lead and made the Bulldogs play catch-up. And, as the tension swelled to a crescendo, Harvard checkmated Yale at midfield on the Elis' final drive.

In all 24,470 men and women of Harvard watched vic'try that day. And hopefully with that Game win, the tide turned Harvard's way.

Stay turned this season. If the preview holds true, Your Harvard Crimson is a few steps away from the Promised Land.