The University football team won its third victory of the season Saturday afternoon in an interesting game on Soldiers Field, defeating the University of Maine team by the score of 17 to 0, the largest score that Harvard has made this year. The points were gained on three touchdowns, two in the first half and one in the second, all of them coming after the University team had received the ball within striking distance, twice on misplays by Maine. For the most part the scoring was done by means of ordinary line rushes, though most of the plays were farther from the centre than they would have been under the old rules. The forward pass was often tried, but only once with success, by the University team. The quarterback kick, on the other hand, several times secured long gains for the University eleven. Fumbles were frequent, and the Maine team was penalized twice for holding, and the University team once for the same offence and once for offside play. The men on the University eleven showed marked improvement in falling on the ball, taking frequent advantage of Maine's fumbles. There was considerable kicking in the game, a point in which the University team had a great advantage, gaining 58 yards on one punt which Maine failed to down.
The University team kept their feet well, and used good judgment at critical points. Both the offence and the defence were very strong throughout the game, the University men seldom failing to gain their ten yards. Kersburg, Parker and Burr, in the centre of the line, were very effective in stopping Maine's centre plays, and Burr and Kersburg often opened up the Maine line with great advantage for Harvard's offence. Osborne several times broke through Maine's line and downed the runner for a loss. On the ends Macdonald and Burnham played an excellent game, being very quick in getting down the field under punts and making fine tackles. Orr, who was put in at left end toward the close of the game, made several open field tackles in good form. All the first set of backs on the University team were excellent ground gainers, and Mason and Lincoln of the second set did good work. A great many substitutes were played on both teams, but seldom on account of injuries.
The Maine team was fairly strong on the offence, but was unable to gain for any length of time against the University team's strong line. Burleigh and Higgins appeared to the best advantage on the Maine team.
Burr kicked off to Higgins on the 20-yard line, and the ball was run in 6 yards. The University team was penalized for offside play after the next scrimmage. Higgins gained 6 yards around Macdonald's end. The Maine team was put back 15 yards for holding, and, failing to gain, punted, Starr downing the ball in about the middle of Maine's territory after a short run. Foster gained six yards through tackle, being held with the ball on the 28-yard line. Apollonio followed with 6 yards, and then Foster made 9 more. After three rushes, Apollonio was forced over for a touchdown, Burr kicking the goal against the wind and at a difficult angle.
Higgins kicked off to Starr, who was held on the 36-yard line. Sawyer replaced Minor, who was slightly hurt in tackling Starr. Foster at once punted, the ball going over Sawyer's head in the backfield. Burnham downed the ball on the 18-yard line. Four more plays carried the ball to within a few inches of the goal line. Lockwood made the touchdown. Burr failed to kick the goal.
After the next kick-off, the University team advanced the ball steadily to within striking distance of the Maine goal, where Starr tried two drop kicks, both of which failed. At the start, Starr secured the ball on Maine's kick-off after Foster had fumbled it. Lockwood made a gain of over 15 yards around right end. After a five-yard gain by Foster, several forward passes were tried, on one of which Maine secured the ball. The University team, however, quickly regained the ball on a fumble on Maine's 54-yard line. Lockwood gained 7 yards and then Osborne 10 more on a forward pass. After another 3-yard rush by Lockwood, Starr tried a quarterback kick, recovering the ball himself after a half-yard loss. Starr at once tried another quarterback kick, this time successfully, for Macdonald, who got the ball, gained 15 yards. As the first play failed to gain, Starr tried a drop kick for a goal, but the pass was poor, and Starr kicked the ball along the ground. Burnham recovered the ball, after which Starr again tried a drop kick on which the ball went out of bounds. Immediately after the kick-out time was called.
In the second half, Higgins kicked off to Burr, who ran the ball in from the 6 to the 38-yard line. On the first play Lockwood gained 10 yards. Foster punted to the middle of the field, where the Maine team gained first down in three rushes. A penalty of 15 yards for holding followed against the Maine team, and then a ten yard loss on an end play. The University team secured the ball on its 49-yard line on a punt, and after rushing a few yards, was put back 15 yards for holding. Hall gave Miller a quarterback kick which the latter recovered on the 30-yard line. Lockwood lost five yards on an end run, which was followed by a drop kick from Hall, the ball being blocked. Miller downed the ball on the 5-yard line, and in the next play, Mason followed Kersburg through, the line for a touchdown. Burr kicked the goal.
During the rest of the game neither side got the ball near the goal lines.
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