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Soaking Up the Bennies

Sealed With a Kiss

Yes, Skecter Davis foresaw it all. Today is the last time you will read my proclamations, and it is indeed, the end of the world. Why do the birds keep on singing? Why does the sea rush to shore? I may have often advised you incorrectly, but I have been right some of the time, and who can blame me for predicting Harvard over Brown? Even the four sports writers for the Brown Daily Herald picked the Cantabs, as they call John Yovicsin's boys. And as long as we've got space to fill, I might as well make four more guesses this week.

A handful of dissidents have criticized my efforts, but lately I have been beseiged with a flood of telegrams and letters from readers who had been passive, though devoted, throughout the season. You might think of them as a silent majority. With their support, Captain Crunch and I can continue to predict, and to do so successfully. Pour some wine and part some bread with me, my friends, as I chew over the last four games of this football season.

COLUMBIA-BROWN; While chewing this one over, I am tempted to spit it out, Columbia has made for some good copy this year, and I am grateful, but it really looks grim today for the Lions, who may have the first 0-9 season in their history by dinner tonight. Columbia is pulling all stops, however. Last night at Barnard there was a sock hop, and Frankie Avalon was there with Conway Twitty. If the Lions can pull out a win today, these sock hops could well become weekly affairs, ergo, as commonplace as losing. Oddly enough, Columbia's sports news office has started sending out fencing information, rather than football, and one wonders if the Light Blue has given up on the grid season, Meanwhile, a football renaissance is occurring at Brown, where the Bruins are hungry for a second consecutive Ivy win. The game's even in Providence. Marty Domres, won't you please come home? 24-10.

PENN-CORNELL: Another game which all eyes will be upon today. Penn is up after last week's win over Columbia, but Cornell is a fairly decent team. And I don't know how much you've thought about it the last few weeks, but how well equipped are the Quakers to stop Ed Marinaro? This is a question we must all think about. The only thing in Philadelphia that can stop Marinaro is astroturf, but it can't. The Big Red played well against Dartmouth, and a win over Penn would give Cornell a 4-3 record, which is pretty damn fine. Cornell has incentive, and after 4 p.m., the victory, 31-14.

DARTMOUTH-PRINCETON: Dartmouth doesn't deserve another outright Ivy League title. Bob Blackman has had his share of them. To get serious for a moment, the loss to Yale last week may have been a good thing for Old Nassau. They're on a preferable emotional plane now, if on a lower indifference curve. And Princeton is always at its best before the television cameras. And you must also remember that four lost fumbles and four interceptions, and some bad field goal luck at the end of the Yale game, did not help the Tigers. Dartmouth's backs will finally meet some resistance today; the first time since Harvard. And I'd like to see the Big Green try to stop Brian MacBean and other offensive weapons. I just don't think the Hanover crew can handle it. Thus, I predict that the Tigers can handle it, 21-14.

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HARVARD-YALE: I have been handing out locker room zit-popping kits for some time now, and I have been urged to send one to the Crimson boys. But I have declined. First of all, "Who will win the Harvard-Yale game" is one of the world's most often-asked questions, second only to "Who wrote the book of love?" So there is always a chance, even if Harvard has lost to Brown. I don't know how many of you remember last year's game, but a strong finish by the Crimson brought a 29-29 tie, evidence that Harvard isn't always as bad as it seems. Of course, one of the boys who contributed to that rally is Frank Champi, who has stopped playing ball hereabouts. He especially shocked some observers when he left the stands during this year's 24-10 loss to Dartmouth with more than a minute left. We were only 14 points behind, and Frank left! He didn't go to the dressing room, and he didn't seek out a telephone booth or storage room, he just left. But if this is Frank Champi's attitude, maybe a new star will fill the void this year, like Joe Roda or Dave Smith. Or Ralph Cahaly. Lots of Mickey Mouse from the band today, but the Crimson will be the winner, 17-14.

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