HAD a thunderbolt fallen from a clear sky, or had Seventy-seven harmonized Class-Day difficulties, no greater surprise or consternation would have been felt in our College world than was experienced last Saturday evening on the announcement of the result of the first game with Yale. The record of our Nine has been so good this year that much was expected of it, perhaps too much. So, at least, think the Nine, who feel that they get little praise when they win, so much is it taken as a matter of course; but when they unfortunately lose, they are followed, not with sympathy, but with fault-finding and audible imprecation. But in this case they must expect little sympathy. They went to New Haven confident themselves of making at least a close game of it, and carrying with them the unbounded confidence of the College in their complete success. Had they been beaten in a close and exciting game, we could be patient and call it hard luck; but they have not even this poor satisfaction to offer. Theirs was not a defeat, it was a rout, which can only be wiped out by a corresponding victory next time. But what were the causes of this Waterloo? Dieu sait. For the numberless fielding errors only bad playing, hard luck, and general demoralization and discouragement can account for them. As to the batting - or rather the absence of batting - we must hold Carter largely responsible for the result. Not a base hit was made, - a record which Harvard has never before made, and let us hope that this will be the last she will have to mourn and Yale to rejoice over. Of course Yale was uproariously happy. Cheering, yelling, hoisting their men heavenward, fireworks, and singing inadequately expressed her wild joy. But this we can excuse, even though done with noisy obtrusiveness under the eyes of the vanquished, since her signal success was as much unexpected as was our overwhelming defeat. But while acknowledging our defeat, it is but fair to say that Yale played her best game of the season, while we played our worst; that Yale was unusually fortunate at the bat, while we were particularly unfortunate, batting everything usually on the bound, into the hands of their fielders. The resume and score will tell the rest of the story.

Wheaton led off with a fine base hit to left. Morgan was thrown out at first by Ernst. Bigelow then batted to Sawyer, but the ball, bounding from his hands, flew out into right, where it was again mishandled by Dow. These two bad errors gave Bigelow a life and Wheaton third and home. Williams was then fielded out at first by Thayer. For Harvard, Leeds struck out, and Tyng and Tower went out at first, after hits to second and third.

The second inning resulted in a quick blank for Yale. Thayer gets his base on Wheaton's error and steals second. Ernst flies out to Brown. Thayer is thrown out by short stop to third, and Latham goes out at second in a vain attempt to steal. Brown begins the third inning with a safe hit, but is soon put out at second by a nice bound catch of Sawyer's from Tyng's low throw. Wheaton sends Dow a fly, and Morgan goes out on Thayer's pretty throw to first. Wright, Dow, and Sawyer put out at first in rapid succession by short hits to second, third, and pitcher. The fourth inning a disastrous one for Harvard. Bigelow goes out on a pretty running foul fly caught by Ernst. Clark tips up another for Tyng. Two men out, and nothing done. But Williams follows with a hit to right, and is safe because of Dow's inexcusable fumble. Smith hits safe to left, sending Williams to third. Downer hits to Leeds, who throws wild to first, giving Downer second and Williams and Smith home. Downer in the mean time tries to get third, the ball is thrown to Thayer, who, touching him, supposes him out and returns the ball carelessly to Ernst. Ernst is not looking, the ball passes him, and Downer scores, the umpire not having decided him out. This run the result of very careless errors. Leeds goes out by a pretty running catch by Smith. Tyng retires on a short hit to third. Tower gets first on Wheaton's error, but is caught napping by a quick throw of Carter's. Tower unfortunately hurts himself here, and gives up his place to Holmes. Brown leads off by a fine two-base hit, goes to third on Wheaton's hit to second and home on Morgan's to Leeds, the last two strikers going out at first. Bigelow, given his base on an error, steals second on Sawyer's slow handling of Tyng's pretty throw, but he is left as Clark retires on a short grounder to Leeds. During this and the following inning we again show our inability to hit Carter. In the sixth Yale also quickly retires. In the seventh Carter hits safe to right. Brown puts a hot one through Leeds on which Carter tries to get home, but he is cut off by Sawyer's throw to Tyng. Morgan and Bigelow go out, leaving Brown and Wheaton. Leeds gets first on a doubtful fly between second and centre, but he is soon caught napping by Carter's quick throw. Tyng and Holmes then quickly retire. In the eighth inning another fumble by Dow gives Williams his first, but he soon goes out at second by Tyng's good throw. Smith is given a life by Ernst's wild throw to Wright, who, by a superb stop, prevents a run. Downer out on a fly to Holmes. The opportunity for redemption is again offered our Nine, but they again refuse to accept it, and gracefully retire in one, two, three order. The ninth inning results in Carter striking out, Brown batting to second, Wheaton getting a base hit, and Morgan retiring on a good catch by Dow. Wright is evidently in a hurry, and goes out quickly at first. Dow then hits a hard one to the pitcher, who touches it with his hand just enough to turn it into the short-stop's hands. Sawyer then completes the symmetry of the score card by going out as the twenty-seventh man.

The fielding of Yale, though steady, was not brilliant, as nothing difficult was exacted of her. The umpiring was sharp and fair, and gave excellent satisfaction. Below is the score: -

YALE.

A. B. O. R. IB. P. O. A. E.

Wheaton, S. S. 5 2 1 2 1 3 1

Morgan, C. 5 5 0 0 1 2 1

Bigelow, 3B. 4 2 0 0 1 4 0

Clark, 2B. 4 4 0 0 2 6 1

Williams, R. F. 4 3 1 0 0 0 0

Smith, C. F. 4 2 1 2 2 0 0

Downer, IB. 4 3 1 0 19 1 0

Carter, P. 4 4 0 1 0 6 0