The varsity football team once again finds itself cast in the role of underdog as it tackles Brown in the final Stadium game of the season today. Kickoff time is 1:30 p.m.
The betting "line" on the game has the visitors tabbed as favorites by only two points; but the difference between the two teams may be considerably greater than this, if a number of Crimson regulars who have been physically below par for the past week are unable to see much service.
In fact, health will be Coach John Yovicsin's greatest problem today. The stirring fight the Crimson put up against Princeton last wekend took a heavy toll in injuries; and Harvard fans scanning the field at game-time are likely to see several relatively unfamiliar jerseys.
The starting lineup will not be finally determined until after a last doctor's report somtime this morning; but a tentative alignment released last night by Yovicsin, included the names of five players who have not started in any of the varsity's previous games. The newcomers are: tackles Jerry Weidler and Dave Schein, end Hal Keohane, center Pete Eliades (though another reserve, Tedo Francis is also a possibility here), and fullback Dave Cappiello. The situation is not, however, quite so bad as might be indicated by this rundown of probable starters; for some of the Crimson's convalescents are enough improved so as to be available for at least limited duty this afternoon. In this category are halfback Chet Boulris, fullback Sam Halaby, center Bob Foster, and left end John Copeland. On the other hand Pete Briggs and Bob Shaunessy, the varsity's two biggest and perhaps its two best linemen, have both been hobbling around on gimpy right ankles all week, and it is extremely doubtful that they will be able to play at all this afternoon. In Brown the Crimson will be facing an opponent that is at the end of a rather disappointing season, reportedly "hungry" for victory. The Bruins were rated with the best in the Ivy League at the beginning of the year, but so far they have compiled a mediocre record of only three wins and four losses. The Recent Losses Their most notable triumph was over Yale, early in the season; but this victory has been more than offset by losses to Columbia and Dartmouth, and most recently, to Princeton and Cornell. Still, Brown must be considered a fairly formidable opponent, for it possesses in junior Frank Finney the league's "best quarterback" (on the testimony of John Yovicsin), and also a 230-pound tackle named Gil Robertshaw, who was rated all-Ivy League last year. Finney has been the League leader in total offense and in passing all fall. At present his total-yards-gained figure stands at 563, and his passing record is 31 completions in 63 attempts. He is the key man in Brown's split-T offense. The "belly series" plays and the end-run "options" which form the heart of this atack require a quarterback who can run, pass, and handle the ball with considerable dexterity. Finney can do all of these things. But the Brunis have other talents, too. In halfback John McTigue and reserve scatback, George Gorgodian, they will display speed of foot that the Crimson will find difficult to match. Pre-game prognostications suggest a good deal of passing by both sides. The Crimson, in particular, is likely to try the passing game early, since two of its best running backs (Boulris and Halaby) will not start. Read more in News
