The 'varsity nine has met with its first defeat at the hands of a college nine, a defeat that stands out clearly against the overwhelming victories that it has been the fortune of the nine to gain. There is one thing that makes the contrast more striking, and that is expressed in one word - "professionalism." Hitherto we have been matched against teams that have had so little merit that our nine has been able to gain little from the contests. Is this the practice that will enable Harvard to play a game of base-ball that shall be worthy the name? Steadiness in play, presence of mind at critical moments cannot be gained by competition with clubs which are beaten with the score in the twenties. The calm game played by Columbia yesterday was something new to the Harvard students. We have seldom seen a Harvard nine play with such confidence. This is what our team needs, and on the eye of one of the most critical games of the season, this it must gain. The work of the ninth inning must be as well done as that of the first. We are assured that a large delegation of students will go to New Haven to-morrow. This number, no matter how large, ought in the light of yesterday's game, to be greatly increased. Every man in college who can possibly do so should consider it his duty to be on Yale field to-morrow afternoon.