Despite an unusually cold day, the largest crowd of the season watched the New York Rugby Club hand the Crimson its first loss, 9 to 8, here Saturday. The game was nevertheless very encouraging for the hosts.

Though certainly the best team that the Crimson as faced this year, New York was no Goliath. The last two of the Blue's three tries came not on long, controlled marches to the goal line, but as the result of two drastic Crimson mistakes.

The visitors kept the ball in Harvard territory for most of the first half, and in the closing minutes before intermission their scrum half flipped the ball to his wing who sliced around end for ten yards and a try.

The Crimson came on strongly in the second half, and stayed in the opponents' zone for the duration of the game. A long drive carried the hosts to within feet of the Blue goal line, where Hal Churchill dropped the ball and booted its through the uprights for three points.

New York then kicked to the Crimson 40, and as Langy Kavilku ran the ball up the field, Hank Keohane dropped a would-be tackler with a neat cross-body block which resulted in a three point penalty kick for the Blue.

New York star Noel Feddis soon intercepted a Hauge-to-Holmes pass and raced forty yards for their final tally. Besides these two lapses the Crimson carried the play, despite opposing scrum, and the disadvantages of playing a man down for ten minutes.

Near the end of the game, center David Holmes, deeply gashed by Phil Tarasovic, kicked to the Blue 25, where forwards Albie Cullen and Bill Morse dribbled towards the goal. Fullback Dick O'Neill, charging up from behind, made the try following which Graham Russell converted. It was a discouraging loss, but the Crimson showed it can still win the league title.