Too bad that it had to happen to Washington.
The little school from St. Louis--outclassed to start--ran up against a Harvard offense that found its real stride for the first time. The net results were a smashing 42 to 0 victory for the Crimson; and, for the Bears, much sympathy. (This was the highest Harvard score since the 52 to 0 rout of Western Maryland in 1947.)
Actually, the Myrtle and Maroon put up a pretty stiff fight--at least at the beginning. The score was 0 to 0 at the end of the first quarter, and only 14 to 0 at the half. In addition, the Bears totalled 18 first downs to 14 for the home side.
Longest Run?
But the Crimson, which has yet to start a game winning, warmed up in the second period, and blasted the contest out of reach in the last half.
Pre-season predictions that this was a team which could "score from anywhere on the field" were fully vindicated Saturday.
Defensive halfback Ron Noonan dislocated his shoulder Saturday and is not expected to play any more this season.
The Crimson's tallies ranged from Dick Clasby's 96-yard dash--believed to be the longest from scrimmage in Harvard history--to a three-inch plunge by fullback Jerry Blitz. Blitz also scored from 30 yards out after splintering the Bear line. John Culver, the starting fullback, tallied twice from within the ten.
One other score resulted from a reverse pass, with Clasby at wingback in a left formation flipping to end Paul Crowley.
Bill Monteith kicked all six conversions.
The play which Jordan later said "set us up" came in the second period. The Crimson was ahead, 7 to 0, but had apparently stalled on its own 42, after marching up from its ten.
Here the Crimson sprang a tackle-around maneuver, with Bob Stargel carrying to the Washington 31, from whence the Crimson scored four plays later. After that, the game was never really in doubt.
The only issue was whether the Crimson could keep its shutout. It did, registering Harvard's first whitewash since the 1947 team stopped Holy Cross, 7 to 0.
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Crimson Individual Statistics