Upsetting all predictions by stopping the powerful Blue running attack with a superb defence at the crucial moments and aided by the sensationally brilliant 57-yard run by Owen and the flawless generalship of Captain Buell, the University eleven won, for the third consecutive year, a 10 to 3 victory in the Bowl Saturday over a Yale team vastly superior in weight and physical prowess but lacking in coordination and strategy.
Crimson Outrushed and Outpassed
The strength of the vanquished is clearly apparent from the statistical analysis of the game which shows the Eli eleven to have outrushed and outpassed the Crimson almost 2 to 1. But the victory came to the latter through its ability to make and use to their full purpose the few opportunities which arose. Time and again the Yale team commenced its smashing running offensive when yet deep in its own territory, and just so often the advance stopped at the crucial moment partly through the stiffened Crimson defence and partly through the sheer fatigue of the powerful Blue backs. The long advances told on the Eli eleven and it lacked the final punch when that punch became essential.
Owen Paves Way for Victory
The work of Owen, paved the way to the Harvard victory, chiefly his inspiring, side-stepping run-back of O'Hearn's punt, which placed the Crimson in scoring position. A moment later he himself carried the ball over the goal line. His excellent defensive work also was one of the chief reasons why the Bulldog failed to gain a touchdown, and was five times compelled to attempt a score by the precarious drop-kick method.
Eastman's block and subsequent recovery of the Yale placement kick was another outstanding bit of Crimson playing, and this was responsible for Pfaffman's perfect 25-yard drop-kick which ended the scoring and gave the University a safe seven point lead.
Captain Buell Wins Toss
Buell won the toss from Jordan and chose to defend the north goal with the choppy wind at his back. After Hammond had caught the opening kickoff and had advanced to the 30-yard line, the University and Yale both adopted a kicking game with Hammond, aided by the wind gaining on each exchange. Finally O'Hearn punted to the Crimson, the ball glanced off Gehrke's leg, and Owen caught it on the run. Then followed the dazzling feat which was the sensation of the game. With three Yale men directly in his path, Owen cut sharply to the left and one by one the three tackled but failed to stop him on his way toward the Yale goal. O'Hearn alone remained in his way. Just before reaching him Owen stopped short, then shot around him safely to the left. But in that moment of hesitation Hulman came up fast from behind and finally forced Owen out of bounds on Yale's four and one-half yard line. Lee sent Gehrke and then Owen at the line, but the goal remained a scant yard away. Then Buell went in at quarter-back, immediately called for a slightly spread formation with Hammond back, and shot Owen through the line for the winning touchdown. The latter kicked the goal.
A moment later Yale received its greatest chance when Hammond fumbled the kick-off and Hulman fell on it for the Elis on the Crimson's 34-yard line. Then followed the most powerful of the Yale advances by running attack. Nine plays run off chiefly by O'Hearn and Jordan netted 29 yards and placed the ball within five yards of the Crimson goal, but the last three of these plays gained only five yards and made it fourth down with five yards still to go. O'Hearn dropped back to the 15-yard mark and attempted an easy drop-kick which failed by inches.
Yale launched another offensive as the second period began. Taking the ball on their own 44-yard line, they mixed a strong running attack with an overhead game which netted 43 yards. But in three desperate plunges the Crimson defence allowed Jordan only eight yards, and on the fourth down O'Hearn, standing on the 21-yard line, drop-kicked a perfect goal, making the score Harvard seven, Yale three.
Later in the same period O'Hearn, in a desperate attempt to score when Yale's running attack had been stopped, attempted two 40-yard drop-kicks, both of which missed their mark.
Kicking Duel in Second Half
A kicking duel opened the second half, but finally Yale attempted a forward passing game, and after a neat advance of 25 yards, Buell intercepted a toss from O'Hearn meant for Jordan. Again the kicking game started, but after two exchanges O'Hearn made a fair catch on the Crimson's 45-yard line. Yale decided to try an on-side placement kick, but just as the ball left O'Hearn's foot, Eastman, rushing up, blocked it, knocking it toward the Yale goal. Then followed a desperate chase, but the first two Yale men misjudged in their attempts to fall on the ball, and Eastman recovered on Yale's 35-yard line. Time for one more play in the third period remained, and Buell threw a pass to Gehrke for a five-yard gain.
The University started off the last quarter with its most powerful offensive of the entire game. Owen and Hammond gained 16 yards in three plunges through the line for first down. Gehrke was stopped short but Owen reeled off another nine yards. Then Hammond lost five yards on a fumble and Coach Fisher sent in Pfaffman, who dropped back to the 25-yard line and sent over a drop-kick directly between the goal posts.
Following the kick-off several desperate runs by O'Hearn brought the ball to mid-field, but on an exchange of punts, Gehrke kicked the Crimson out of danger with a 70-yard punt which carried over O'Hearn's head.
Elis Desperate at End
Then Yale in a desperate last-minute rally, tried first her running attack once more, but when that failed to gain; O'Hearn opened up with long passes to Bench and Neidlinger which brought the ball to the Crimson's 25-yard line. But before the teams lined up, the final whistle blew with Harvard the 10 to 3 victor.
The summary:
Score, Harvard 10, Yale 3. Touchdown, Owen. Goal after touchdown, Owen. Goals from field, O'Hearn, Pfaffman. Referee, E. J. O'Brien, Tufts. Umpire, E. F. Quigley, Stout Institute. Linesman, F. W. Murphy, Brown. Field judge, V. A. Schwartz, Brown. Time, four 15-minute periods.
Read more in News
LACROSSE LEAGUE MEETS
