Harvard's undefeated football machine, doing almost everything right for the first time this season, stomped a careless Dartmouth squad into the Soldiers Field turf, 22-7, last Saturday, and established itself as a definite contender for the Ivy League crown.
The Crimson convinced the 40,000 spectators that its 5-0 record was no fluke by putting on the most powerful display of consistent offense and smothering defense that any Harvard team has thrown against the Big Green in 40 years. The 22-7 score is the biggest victory margin since the Crimson beat Dartmouth, 19-7, in 1928.
It was a particularly good day for Harvard, and a terribly bad one for Dartmouth. The Big Green lost the toss of the coin, and from then on it was downhill.
Harvard's defense, led by linebackers John Emery and Dale Neal, and ends John Cramer and Steve Ranere, repeatedly broke through to dump Dartmouth's highly-touted quarterback, Jim Chasey, and its veteran halfback Bob Lundquist behind the line. By the end of the half, Dartmouth had gained only 16 yards on the ground.
While the defense was busy pushing Dartmouth all over the field, Harvard signal-caller George Lalich scrambled and passed to set up all three Harvard touch passed to set up all three Harvard touch-downs.
Lalich completed 11 of 19 passes for 119 yards as his backfield mates captain Vic Gatto and Ray Hornblower kept the Green defense honest by churning out big gains around and through the porous Dartmouth front five. Hornblower led all rushing with 121 yards in 21 carries, and Gatto produced two touchdowns and 71 yards on 17 trys.
On the Scoreboard
The Crimson wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard. Dartmouth held the Harvard offense for the first series, but the second time the Crimson got its hands on the ball it put together a 49 yard drive in nine plays to score.
Mixing his plays, Lalich guided Harvard to the Green eight yard line. A pass interference penalty on Dartmouth put the ball on the one, and on the next play fullback Gus Crim followed left guard
Tom Jones through the line for the score. Tommy Wynne added the extra point.
The rest of the quarter was scoreless as both teams tightened their defenses. Cramer, John Ignacio, Pat Conway and Wynne united to stop the Green, and Dartmouth defensive end Peter Lawrence repeatedly came up with the big play to cut off a Crimson drive.
The second quarter started out to be a repetition of the first as Hornblower fumbled on the Dartmouth 47 and the Green recovered. But on the next play, Harvard's defense separated the ball from Chasey, and Lonny Kaplan jumped on it for the Crimson.
Lalich threw a 34-yard strike to Gatto who carried to the Dartmouth 11 behind the blocking of end John Kiernan. Three plays later Gatto snared a pitchout cutting off left tackle for the score. Wynne again kicked the extra point.
Lalich directed the Crimson to the Green 12 in the closing minutes to the half. Another interference call on the Green put the ball on the one, and Gatto passed to Hornblower on an option play for a TD.
Harvard was caught holding on the play, however, and the TD was nullified. Wynne tried a field goal in the final six seconds of the half, but the ball bounced off the crossbar as time ran out.
Dartmouth took the kick-off in the second half, but the Crimson defense again held and the Green had to punt. Harvard tallied next with 11:54 gone in the third period, after Lalich and Gatto had combined for the longest ground gain of the day.
Moving the team to the Dartmouth 45, Lalich dropped back to pass on the next play, but finding his receivers cornered he scrambled up the middle to the 20, where he lateralled to Gatto as he was hit. Gatto to the four to complete the 41 yard gain.
Gatto shook off two tacklers and went over tackle Fritz Reed for the six points, but halfback Jim Reynolds couldn't handle the ball on the point after try, and the extra point failed.
Harvard's final points came in the fourth quarter--courtesy of the punting unit. Punter Gary Singleterry, who averaged 39.6 yards for eight punts, booted the ball to the Dartmouth five where Green back Tom Quinn fumbled the catch. He picked it up in the end zone just in time to be nailed by Kiernan and center Bob Teske for a safety.
Dartmouth's only score came late in the final quarter as substitute quarterback Bill Koenig hit Randy Wallick for an 11 yard TD pass. By that time, even the Harvard fans cheered.
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