And then, as the Haughton coaching system whipped into shape, came the turn of the tide; Harvard began a new football era. The superb running of H.R. Hardwick '15, and the kicking of C.E. Brickley '15, reputed to be the best dropkicker of all times, together with the running of E.W. Mahan '16 in his football debut at Harvard, brought victories over Yale to the tune of 20 to 0 in 1912 and 15 to 5 in 1913.
The game in 1914 was the first Harvard-Yale game in the Yale Bowl, and the Crimson eleven came off with the honors, 36 to 0. Late in this tilt, it is stated, the onlookers were treated to the greatest exhibition of generalship ever seen on a football field. It was Harvard's ball within drop-kicking distance and Captain C.E. Brickley '15, injured and on the bench, was sent into the fray apparently to try for a goal from the field and the satisfaction of scoring against Yale in the year of his captaincy. Using Brickley as a decoy, far out of the way of harm, Watson '16, at quarter, proceeded to score a touchdown by a seres of five plays, ending in a forward pass to Hardwick. Brickley had the satisfaction of kicking the goal after touchdown.
The 1915 game is memorable for several reasons: in this contest was scored by Harvard its first touchdown against Yale in the Stadium; in this contest was tallied the largest score Harvard ever made against Yale; in this contest was established perhaps the highest individual score for one game ever made on an Eastern gridiron, captain E.W. Mahan '16 checking off unaided, 29 of Harvard's 41 points.
And then in 1916 Harvard suffered its first defeat at the hands of the Blue since 1909. The score was 6 to 3. Harvard took the lead early in the game with a goal from the field. With the second period well under way Yale had the ball when one of the Blue backs fumbled in going through the line. It just eluded some of the Harvard backs, was recovered by Yale on the Crimson's 13 yard line, and then the Blue was just able to get across the goal for a touchdown. This was Houghton's farewell game as coach.
Following a two year respite from football during the World War it took hard drilling to whip a team into shape for the 1919 season. But it was done, and the team, composed mostly of returned soldiers, came out of the Yale game 10 to 3 victor.
Then began the building up of a forward passing attack which was to make the Crimson elevens of the next few years formidable opposition for any team.
West Coast Trip Planned
Immediately after the Yale game plans were laid for a game on the West Coast for January 1, 1920, and on December 1 a reconditioning of the squad set in. The tilt at Pasadena with Oregon brought all there was of stamina and perseverance in the Harvard men, much effected by the heat. After a hard fought and very closely contested game, in which Harvard's shining light proved to be her later coach. Arnold Horween '20, the Crimson jerseyed fighters left the field 7 to 6 victors.
It is thought that the Yale game of 1921 was taken by the Crimson on a clever piece of strategy. On the team of that year were two distinct types of quarterbacks, C.C. Buell '23 and J.J. Fitzgerald '21. Under the former the Crimson contingent worked smoothly in rushing the ball. This fact had been so evident during the year, especially after the Princeton game, that it was feared that if it were known that Buell was to start the game. Yale would be primed and ready for a forward passing attack. Hence no announcement as to who would start at quarterback was made.
Buell Goes In
Fitzgerald had started practically all of the preliminary games for Harvard, and when it was time to open up Buell was sent in, but against Yale it was decided to reverse the tactics and start with the passing game, hoping to take Yale unawares. Fitzgerald even took the team on the field for signal work just before the game, but when the whistle blew, Buell was seen in the quarterback position.
Buell carried the forward passing game to the limit, and for the first time in the history of Harvard football, the forward pass was used as an offensive weapon deep in Harvard's own territory.
Bulldog Tumbled
The following season an underdog Crimson outfit tackled a powerful and masterful Eli eleven, and through the combined efforts and persevering spirit of the entire team and the running and plunging of Buell and George Owen '23, the Bulldog bowed, the final score leaving Harvard at the top end 10 to 3.
Then followed two consecutive victories for the Eli, but the 1924 tilt, though taken finally by the Blue is remembered chiefly by Harvard adherents by the strategical coup carried through by the Harvard coaching corps. It was this year that E.L. Gehrke '24, a player who had proved himself in previous years a formidable opponent to the Blue, had been for some time reported unable to play in the final clash with Yale.
The New Haven contingent boasted a strong outfit, and with Gehrke out of the Harvard lineup, little favor was bestowed on the University eleven. Gehrke was carried onto the field on a stretcher, from all appearances to witness the game. Momentary attention was focused on him and then all eyes were turned to the start of play at the kickoff. Four or five minutes after the first whistle Harvard made a substitution, and to the amazement of all, the substitute was Gehrke himself. The team pulled together and for a wild first half swept the much more powerful Eli outfit off its feet, the half ending 6 to 0. In the second half Yale showed its strength and took the game 19 to 6.
Then came the next season the great moral victory of the Crimson team. With M.A. Cheek '26 playing stellar football an underdog Harvard eleven held the Blue cohorts to a 0 to 0 tie, in weather the most unfavorable. The 1926 fray in the Bowl is remembered by undergraduates for the Harvard touchdown brought about by a pass, Henry Chauncey '27 to W.G. Saltonstall '28, which gave the Crimson rooters a moment of hope. The game ended, however, with Yale in the lead, 12 to 7. Last year's tilt in the Stadium brought out the steady power the Blue held over the Crimson and the Elis again returned to New Haven with a victory over Harvard. The score was 14 to 0.