For the first time in the history of Harvard's athletics, the college has felt itself called upon to express the most decided disapproval of an opponent's conduct during an inter-collegiate contest. Whether their representatives gained victory or defeat Harvard audiences have always used every endeavor to encourage good plays, and have applauded each and every one impartially. Saturday's game, however, made a decided change; for every impartial spectator joined his protest with that of the college men against the deliberate fouling and other illegal practices employed by our opponents. Such a game cannot be mentioned under the name of foot-ball. Harvard could resort to such an exhibition, but the never has, and we hope sincerely that she never will.

When a team resorts to a violation of the rules to gain her advantage and trusts in maiming and defeating her opponents before the referee has time to impose the extreme penalty of removal, the game ceases to be one of skill and enjoyment and is no longer a contest between gentlemen. That the visitors brought a wonderfully powerful team will not be denied by a single supporter of the crimson, but this fact made their conduct all the more despicable. Had they played the friendly game that was shown in the contest with our Princeton rivals the game would have been intensely interesting and exciting, and if, then, they had outplayed us and won the sought for victory they would have found the audience as ready to unite in praise and commendation as they are now in expressing their entire disapproval and condemnation. Such a result is not only unsatisfactory but entirely unnecessary, for repeated contests with other colleges bear witness to this.

Harvard cannot defeat Yale at foot-ball unless she consents to place on her team men who will substitute roughness for skill and professional enmity for amateur courtesy. But such a team will never represent Harvard, and may they never bear its honored name. A few such contests as that of Saturday will blast forever the reputation of foot-ball as being a commendable inter-collegiate game.